By Liz Navratil
Star Tribune
MINNEAPOLIS — Cedric Alexander, a nationally known law enforcement official with expertise in psychology, will serve as Minneapolis’ first community safety commissioner after the City Council on Thursday confirmed his nomination.
“Today is a historic day in the city of Minneapolis,” said City Council President Andrea Jenkins. “We have been talking for two and a half years about reimagining public safety, creating a continuum of public safety, bringing all aspects of our public safety responses together in one department.”
Alexander is on track to take the helm of new community safety office, aiming to better coordinate the city’s police, fire, 911, emergency management and violence prevention programs.
City officials still need to pass additional measures to create the office and flesh out details of its operations. That proposal has been a focal point in public discussions about how city leaders should best seek to fulfill a promise to transform public safety after Floyd’s murder in 2020.
Alexander, 67, spent decades working in law enforcement and has a doctorate in clinical psychology. Before retiring, he worked in a variety of local, state and federal offices, including in Georgia’s DeKalb County, where he served as public safety director, a role similar to the one in Minneapolis.
During Thursday morning’s meeting, some council members enthusiastically embraced Alexander’s nomination while others said they had concerns about his work elsewhere about how the approval process for the new department.
Voting in favor of his nomination were: Jenkins, Council Vice President Linea Palmisano, and council members Emily Koski, LaTrisha Vetaw, Michael Rainville, Lisa Goodman, Andrew Johnson and Jamal Osman. Council Members Aisha Chughtai, Jeremiah Ellison and Robin Wonsley voted against. Council Members Elliott Payne and Jason Chavez abstained.
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