[ST. PAUL, MN] – Today, Governor Tim Walz stopped in Rochester on his statewide public safety tour to discuss what his public safety plan would mean for Rochester and communities across the state. Under the Walz-Flanagan Budget to Move Minnesota Forward, the average city in Minnesota would receive about $240,000 to invest in public safety – Rochester would receive over $2 million per year. Photos from the event are available online.

Today’s roundtable discussion attendees included Rochester Mayor Kim Norton, Rochester Police Chief Jim Franklin, Rochester Fire Chief Eric Kerska, Rochester City Administrator Alison Zelms, and State Representative Tina Liebling. The roundtable follows recent public safety meetings Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan have had with community leaders in Burnsville, Moorhead, New Ulm, St. Cloud, Stillwater, St. Louis Park, Duluth, Brooklyn Park, Eagan, and North Minneapolis. A detailed list of the funding that would be made available to each community is available online.

“We’ve traveled across the state, from Moorhead to Rochester, to hear directly from public safety officials, first responders, and community leaders about their most urgent public safety needs,” said Governor Walz. “Our local communities know what they need to keep their neighbors safe. Whether it’s addressing gun violence or providing additional mental health resources, our plan funds local governments so they can prioritize their public safety needs and make their community safer.”

An outline of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor’s public safety proposal is below.

Invest $300 million in local governments to improve public safety
The Walz-Flanagan budget invests $300 million over three years to cities, counties, and tribes across the state, encouraging and supporting new ways of meeting the evolving expectations of public safety in communities across Minnesota. The budget also invests in recruiting peace officers who represent the population of our state and reducing violent crime by providing investigative support to local agencies. The budget also funds several grant programs to invest in the changing needs of communities as they address increased crime, providing funding for Minnesota’s community-based crime prevention grants that fund such programs as probation, youth services, truancy programs, elder abuse prevention, neighborhood watch, resident engagement, and other community-driven intervention and prevention strategies.

Fund a Statewide Violent Crime Initiative
Increased violent crime is a threat to thriving communities across Minnesota. Effective violent crime strategies must employ a coordinated approach of prevention, intervention, and enforcement. This proposal will leverage forensic science to identify perpetrators of violence and clear the innocent, use analytics to strategically identify those committing violent crimes, and leverage partnerships to investigate violent crimes. Critical resource gaps currently exist in some of our most challenges communities. This investment will create the capacity to provide much needed assistance to address violent crime.

Invest in community groups to prioritize youth intervention and juvenile justice
Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan propose providing resources to programs serving youth, including after school activities, tutoring, mentoring, and other services for youth. The Walz-Flanagan budget also provides funding to develop community-based alternatives to juvenile detention, including ongoing funding to establish Community Outpost Houses and invest in TRUCE youth conflict resolution centers to connect community members can connect with outreach programs; learn about applicable government services; obtain community meeting spaces; host mentoring and tutoring programs; and provide youth conflict resolution, suicide awareness and counseling, health and wellness, entrepreneurship, and leadership programs. This proposal is focused on building relationships and trust within communities; providing opportunities to create relationships between community and local law enforcement; reducing crime; and providing youth with a place to resolve conflict in a positive non-violent manner. The budget also establishes Crossover Youth Practice Model and Dual Status Youth Programs in counties throughout Minnesota to support youth who are both in child welfare and juvenile justice systems.