After decades of mistrust between the Minneapolis Police Department and the community, the City Council is investing in alternative violence prevention initiatives. On March 27 the Council approved funding for five organizations: Restoration, Inc. and A Mother’s Love, which provide services on the North Side of Minneapolis; and T.O.U.C.H. Outreach, Sabathani Community Center, and MAD Dads serving the South Side.

The Council also approved a proposal by Councilmember Jamal Osman to move $640,000 from public safety funds to support violence prevention efforts in the Cedar Riverside and Elliot Park neighborhoods. However, these funding decisions follow weeks of debate, particularly concerning the loss of service in Zone 2, a Northside area that includes the historically high-need intersection of 36th and Penn.

Weeks earlier, Rev. Jerry McAfee’s nonprofit, 21 Days of Peace, had its funding request pulled after two of its members were involved in a shootout off-the-clock. The sudden removal of 21 Days of Peace left Zone 2 without a dedicated violence prevention group, raising concerns among residents and local leaders about potential gaps in service. 

In response, the Council passed a resolution allowing community groups to bid on providing services in Zone 2, but no immediate replacement has been secured. “It really was just helping Osman figure out his funding stream because the money was there for Zone 2,” said Councilmember LaTrisha Vetaw.

“We had lots of conversations in the past 48 hours and meetings with the administration to figure out how to maintain funding for Zone 2 while also expanding support for Cedar Riverside and Elliot Park,” added Councilmember Robin Wonsley.

“I’ve got to figure out how to get funding for 36th and Penn,” Vetaw said.

“Obviously,” said Councilmember Jeremiah Ellison, “the intent was never for Zone 2 to be without coverage, and the administration has been adamant that we can’t talk about what’s going on with the current contract. We didn’t want that to be interpreted as Zone 2 not getting service.”

Concerns over funding cuts 

While funding has been allocated for violence prevention, some leaders are raising concerns about how the city’s approach is affecting local organizations. Muhammad Abdul-Ahad, executive director of T.O.U.C.H. Outreach, has voiced frustration over staffing cuts and reduced wages under the Neighborhood Safety Department’s (NSD) agreement with Cure Violence Global, a national organization that uses a public health approach to violence prevention. 

The Cure Violence model treats violence as a contagious disease, hiring “violence interrupters”— often individuals with relevant lived experience — to mediate conflicts before they escalate. While the approach has been adopted in cities nationwide, critics argue that local organizations are being underfunded and under-resourced as a result of this contract.

“The gold standard has always been $30 an hour, and now we are facing cuts,” Abdul-Ahad said, adding that the new contract terms are unsustainable for his staff. Due to funding constraints, his organization will be forced to reduce its staff from 32 to just seven members.

Leadership turnover 

Tensions within the Neighborhood Safety Department have grown since the resignation of its former director, Luana Nelson-Brown, last February. Nelson-Brown stepped down citing misaligned priorities with city officials, fueling ongoing concerns about how violence prevention efforts are being managed.

Abdul-Ahad supports shifting oversight responsibilities from NSD to Hennepin County. “They have the personnel, they have the management structure there that could oversee the work and, you know, give us project managers,” Abdul-Ahad said. 

“They have the infrastructure to be able to give it the oversight that it needs. Okay, right now, the city doesn’t have that. We don’t even have a project manager.”

NSD Deputy Director Lea Lakes did not respond to email requests for comment at this time.

Criticism over vendor selection

Critics of the program have also raised concerns about vendors like A Mother’s Love and We Push for Peace. Some accuse these groups of disrupting protests and engaging in violent behavior. Communities United Against Police Brutality (CUAPB) highlighted incidents where operatives were involved in physical altercations at protests and mishandled protest materials.

“The cost of training for these groups is excessive, and there is no clear evidence that these programs are working,” Michelle Gross, executive director of CUAPB, wrote in a letter to the council. “We urge the council to reconsider these contracts and demand transparency on the effectiveness of the violence interrupters.”

Despite these criticisms, supporters of the Cure Violence Global model argue that such programs are essential for reducing violence in communities where law enforcement is often seen as untrustworthy.

What comes next?

As part of the oversight for the initiative, a comprehensive evaluation of the program’s vendors and their effectiveness will be conducted, with the first month’s data set to be released on May 8. An online dashboard will provide six months of data to the public. The findings could influence future funding decisions and determine whether the current model remains viable.

With concerns about staffing shortages, contract transparency, and gaps in coverage — particularly in Zone 2 — community advocates and city officials will be watching closely to see if these investments yield measurable reductions in violence.

Clint Combs welcomes reader responses at ccombs@spokesman-recorder.com.

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