Nine months ago, Dr. Cedric Alexander began his latest role as Minneapolis Commissioner of Community Safety. I recently had the opportunity to chat with him about his life in our city. The following is a condensation of our conversation.
What’s your biggest surprise since taking the job?
Mayor Frey reached out, and the Mayor was very persuasive. The Commissioner said he left 2-1/2 years of retirement, and moderate weather from his Georgia home, to come to Minneapolis.
Commissioner Alexander was intrigued by a very engaging challenge. He knew he could put his many years of experience to use in Minneapolis. He didn’t identify any surprises. Instead, he recognized lots of new and unique ways to look at the administration of Community Safety.
- The Commissioner said reform is about policies and regulations.
- Community safety must be a transformation, going in new directions with different solutions.
- The Police Department is not the only aspect of Community Safety: drugs and alcohol, lead poisoning, poor schooling, all create a level of danger in our neighborhoods and must be addressed.
- As a community, we need a holistic approach to improve safety. Asking questions like, “What is driving homelessness?” “Why is there a lack of housing?” are also important. And we need to listen to the answers!
- The big opportunity for Community Safety is showing all residents that Minneapolis’ leaders can change their approach and perspective.
- And the biggest question: “How to help this community beyond the unrest?”
What is your average day like?
Commissioner Alexander’s first response is that there are no average days. He said that there are lots of meetings, and those meetings can produce new opportunities. Some things need immediate attention — others can be prioritized. His view is that if you pay attention, you’ll see things change about every six weeks. And the big challenge is meeting the issues as they come.
What places and things in Minneapolis have you enjoyed during your time off?
What a great ambassador our Commissioner is, saying… “This is one beautiful city.” He continued by listing several aspects about Minneapolis that he really appreciates: “We have a long and interesting history, lots of diversity, education-focused, economically vibrant, and a great medical community. And the exciting part of the city is that we’re challenging ourselves to see more of the opportunities and options.”
The Commissioner has been building a cohesive work group for the Department of Community Safety.
The March Camden Community News introduced us to the new police chief, Brian O’Hara, part of the Community Safety team.
Thank you, Dr. Alexander, for your leadership. And knowing how busy your days are, thank you for your time for the neighborhoods served by the Camden Community News.