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Crime, Law and Justice
Melissa Olson

Frey recommends 3rd Police Precinct station not go back to Lake Street or nearby — for now

The third precinct
A security fence surrounds the burnt-out 3rd Police Precinct. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is recommending the precinct not return to Lake Street.
Tim Evans for MPR News 2022

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Updated: July 19, 10:10 a.m. | Posted: July 17, 7:26 p.m.

The City of Minneapolis is scrapping proposals to return the 3rd Police Precinct station to its former place on Lake Street or find the precinct a new home near 26th and Minnehaha avenues.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said Monday the city will locate the 3rd Precinct downtown at the Century Plaza building in the 1st Precinct.

“It provides people from the 3rd precinct with the necessary service that they need and deserve. Second it provides officers with the right infrastructure and the right resources to do their job,” said Frey. “Finally, it gives us some additional time."

Frey credited council president Andrea Jenkins with proposing Century Plaza as an alternative.

Officials said the Century Plaza location will mean police are able to improve lagging emergency police response times since it’s near Interstate 35W.

If the city council approves, the 3rd Precinct could be sited at the new temporary location as soon as winter of 2024, they said.

The original 3rd Precinct police headquarters was set on fire and heavily damaged in the unrest that followed the murder of George Floyd three years ago. Officers and staff have been working out of a downtown location.

The consultant’s report on the future of Minneapolis’ 3rd Precinct released Monday found many are unhappy with the proposed sites for the new precinct building and don’t want it in the neighborhood.

The consultants who conducted the survey were careful to point out the survey has some limitations. Consultants included in the report that many participants are upset because the written survey restricted them to just two options on the required question about the location of the precinct. There was no option for participants to propose a new location or an opportunity to express they didn’t want a station back inside the boundaries of 3rd Precinct at all.

People in the neighborhood told consultants that they deeply distrust the Minneapolis police and city of Minneapolis. According to the consultant's report, many residents noted they oppose locating the precinct in the neighborhood and reject both site options proposed by the city.

People told consultants that they deeply distrust the city government and its police department. Even some of the residents who wanted to see the 3rd Precinct returned to its former place on Lake Street told consultants the city needs to do more to rebuild trust.

Frey’s press secretary Ally Peters said in an email late Tuesday that all proposed options “are still on the table” for council consideration.

Council president Jenkins is expected to propose the Century Plaza relocation Tuesday during a committee meeting involving all council members. They also are scheduled to receive the consultant’s report.