2023 Project Safe Neighborhood violence reduction efforts in and throughout the Twin Cities area.

Violence within the urban core – Minneapolis and St. Paul and surrounding suburbs – continues to suffer from devasting violence—car jackings, gang warfare, automatic handguns and armed robberies. Homicides in Minneapolis were up 166% in 2022 compared to 2019. Gunshot victims were up 101%. In 2022, over 12,800 gunshots were detected on Minneapolis streets, a number previously unthinkable. Automatic gunfire was first detected in August of 2020. Since then, there has been a 266% increase in automatic gunfire.

Group Violence Intervention (GVI) strategy has been successful in the past within the Twin Cities, however effective and consistent implementation of it has not occurred over the past few years. Funds will be used to support the rebuild of the current Group Violence Intervention Strategy to create a new partnership and focus directly and consistently on the violent actors throughout the Twin Cities.
The specific goal is to reduce gang and group related gun violence in the Twin Cities.

To meet this goal, the first objective will be to rebuild a modified and effective Group Violence Intervention strategy to meet the needs of local jurisdictions. Plans to meet this objective are through the new Executive Team’s commitment to the rebuild and holding each agency/partner accountable for their particular roles through regular meetings and implementing consistent call-ins. 

The second objective to meet the goal will be to grant PSN funds to organizations working directly on prevention, intervention, and reentry efforts with those that are involved in violent activities affecting the Twin Cities area.