Thursday, March 26, from 7–8 PM on Zoom
The Tangletown Neighborhood Association’s Equity Committee held a panel discussion with local scholars, leaders, and practitioners about how public safety services are delivered in Minneapolis — including the challenges of traditional policing and the additional response models supporting community needs in Minneapolis. The discussion was recorded and you can watch it below.
Our panelists included Dr. Michelle Phelps, Professor of Sociology at the University of Minnesota and author of two books on criminal justice and policing, including The Minneapolis Reckoning: Race, Violence & the Politics of Policing in America, winner of the 2025 Minnesota Book Award for Nonfiction.
We also heard from Cherie Hanson, Program Manager of Minneapolis’ Behavioral Crisis Response (BCR) team. Since launching in 2021, the BCR team has responded to more than 30,000 mental health–related 911 calls where a non-law-enforcement response was appropriate. Their mission is to “serve communities by responding to crises with respect, cultural understanding, and true compassion.”
Finally, Tangletown neighbor Will McGrath, a BCR responder, shared insights from his on-the-ground experience supporting residents in crisis.
The panel discussion took place on Thursday, March 26, from 7–8 PM on Zoom. Questions for the panelists were submitted with registration.
ACCOMMODATIONS:
Do you require an accommodation to fully participate in this event, such as language interpretation? Please inform us at least 10 business days in advance by submitting the event registration form or by emailing info@tangletown.org. Learn more here.