City of Minneapolis looks for communities help in deciding the future 3rd Precinct building

Protesters stand in front of the 3rd precinct police building as it burns during a protest on May 28, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Protesters stand in front of the 3rd precinct police building as it burns during a protest on May 28, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photo credit Scott Olson/Getty Images

The city of Minneapolis is looking for the communities help in returning officers with the Minneapolis Police Department to a new 3rd Precinct building in the near future.

The original headquarters on Minnehaha Avenue was significantly damaged during the riots following the murder of George Floyd at the hands of former MPD officer Derek Chauvin.

Since then, 3rd precinct officers who patrol the area have been working out of a facility downtown, and precinct residents have not had walk-in access for help.

The city has identified two sites for a new building, the original site on Minnehaha, and a vacant lot, also on Minnehaha, about four blocks away.

“Identifying two viable locations for the 3rd Precinct building has been an enterprise-wide effort, and I’m grateful to our staff who have worked around the clock to produce a thorough analysis for neighbors to consider,” Mayor Jacob Frey said.

A press release from the city shared that the two potential sites were named following a “survey considered each site’s advantages as well as potential obstacles to access and construction.” The release added that the survey was conducted from July 2020 to December 2022.

The city shared that they will be conducting community-wide discussions on the matter in order to take community input on where the precinct should be located.

“The next phase of this process will undoubtedly be marked by debate and discussion, but we should all agree on one thing: there should be a 3rd Precinct building in the 3rd Precinct,” Frey said.

Community meetings on the new 3rd precinct site will start in April. For the schedule, visit the city’s website here.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images