Minneapolis Mayor Frey announces Chief Judge Todd Barnette as nomination for community safety commissioner
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey named Hennepin County Chief Judge Toddrick Barnette as his nomination for the city's next community safety commissioner Monday.
If confirmed by the Minneapolis City Council, Barnette would take over following the retirement of Dr. Cedric Alexander.
"He's the kind of rare talent that we need at this moment to take this [Office of Community Safety] into our next phase," Frey said. "This is the right person for this job. This is the right person for leading the OCS into its next phase."
Barnette has more than 30 years of public safety and legal experience, having worked as a judge, prosecutor and public defender. He was the first Person of Color to be named Chief Judge in Hennepin County.
"My plan is that I will work to build a culture of trust where every resident feels respected and heard," Barnette said. "There's no quick fix. The work ahead of us will require improved collaborations and partnerships."
Barnette says he is ready for a new challenge after serving 17 years as a judge.
"This reform and reimaging public safety, that's whats got me excited. That's why i want this job," he said.
The longtime judge and former prosecutor says he will rely on the five department heads to be experts in their area and help move Minneapolis forward as it re-imagines public safety.
"There is no quick fix. The work ahead of us requires improved collaborations and partnerships. I recognize the best solution often comes from listening to each other and learning from each other," he said.
Frey said the city has "revised the commissioner job description substantially."
The city council will consider Barnette's nomination on Sept. 21.
Alexander's last day in the role was Sept. 1. He was the first person named to the high-profile new position. Since Alexander's retirement, Lee Sheehy has been serving as interim deputy city operations officer.
Frey tapped Alexander for the new position in July 2022, and he was sworn in a month later. Alexander came out of retirement to take the job.
The role of community safety commissioner oversees five departments: 911, the city fire department, the emergency management office, the police department and neighborhood safety, formerly known as the Office of Violence Prevention. It is also among the highest-paid positions in the state, with a base salary of $300,000.
Last year, Frey called Alexander's appointment to the position a "seminal" moment in city history.
Barnette says he knows the country is watching what Minneapolis does with public safety and he is ready for the challenge.
"I'm dedicated to implementing effective strategies that address crime prevention community policing and the overall safety of the well-being of Minneapolis residents and visitors," he said.
According to the city, high-profile violent crimes like homicides and carjackings are down so far year-over-year, as are shots fired calls and the number of gunshot wound victims. Numbers for car thefts are up city-wide.
