Mpls Downtown Improvement District

The Mpls Downtown Improvement District is committed to working with the downtown community to create a safe environment for those who live, work, play, and visit. DID collaborates with public, private, and non-profit organizations, local law enforcement, and outreach groups to achieve its safety goals. 

Below is a list of DID initiatives and collaborations that help keep downtown a safe, vibrant and thriving environment. View our  Annual Report and Operating Plan for more information on greening, cleaning and safety initiatives. 

The DID Ambassadors are friendly faces here in downtown—people who are approachable and welcoming. They are also a group that helps keep downtown safe by keeping a watchful eye on the streets. If you see something you wish to report, the DID Ambassadors will be able to assist you. DID Ambassadors can be found Monday-Friday from 7 am-11 pm, Saturdays from 10 am-11 pm and Sundays from 10 am-6 pm. 

Mpls DID’s Safety Communications Center, located within the Minneapolis Police Department’s 1st Precinct, serves as a downtown safety information hub. Dispatch Ambassadors work inside the DID Safety Communications Center 365 days a year, responding to pedestrian requests from Ambassadors on the street, tracking weather and emergency alerts, communicating with outreach services for people in need, monitoring public area cameras and collaborating with private security. The Safety Communications Center is a resource for day-to-day needs as well as a major asset for overseeing big downtown events. For more information on the DID Safety Communications Center, contact Shane Zahn.

Mpls DID's Livability Team works hard to provide resources to those in need by providing connections resources and partner organizations that can help in different capacities.

The Livability Team works directly with the downtown community, answer direct calls, and make connections to ambassadors, local street outreach groups, property owners and law enforcement. An incident management system called ISS provides real-time communication between the DID Safety Communications Center and the Livability Team. It enhances response time and provides a record of the call origins, action taken and resolution.

RadioLINK brings the private and public security partnership to life. This is a valuable tool in expanding law enforcement’s reach as there are an estimated 13 private security officers for every one law enforcement officer on the street here in downtown.  The DID Safety Communications Center serves as the central point of the RadioLINK system, connecting officers directly with private security teams and outreach teams via a common radio channel. It also expands private security’s reach by connecting organizations to one another. The program currently links private security teams from approximately 60 downtown buildings, businesses and venues together. For more information on RadioLINK, contact Shane Zahn.

The Mpls Downtown Improvement District and Minneapolis Police Department worked together to create a community engagement effort by collaborating with the MPD Police Reserves program. The program aims to increase police visibility along Nicollet and in the Warehouse District during the summer and fall. Goals of the program include improving public safety efforts, security communication via RadioLINK, and both public and private collaborations. 

The Mpls DID and Youth Coordinating Board partner to provide a Street Outreach Program throughout the summer. The program connects youth with activities and resources along Nicollet and the Warehouse District and aims to interrupt the behavior cycle for youth who are disruptive or disengaged downtown by connecting them to meaningful activities or resources. The Street Outreach Program’s overview runs weekdays from 5 pm-10 pm, June through September, and includes three teams of two youth outreach workers per day. Aside from being positive figures that help connect youth with positive activities, the Youth Engagement Teams also engage youth with the Minneapolis Central Library, provide information and resources, and even help connect youth through bus tokens.

Mpls DID teams with YouthLINK, an organization which serves as a critical resource for youth experiencing homelessness, on several outreach initiatives including the Youth Outreach Program. This program aims to connect the city’s youth with resources they need to find independence. It includes young outreach employees who have or are still experiencing homelessness as a way to help direct them to YouthLINK or other vital resource. Youth outreach workers also receive a scholarship from Minneapolis Community and Technical College that will cover the cost of a class.

The Strategic Justice Partnership allows a dedicated prosecutor and probation officer to be assigned to up to the top 100 downtown offenders. It is a collaboration between the DID, MPD, Minneapolis City Attorney’s Office, Hennepin County Community Corrections, St. Stephen’s Human Services, the Salvation Army, 1st Precinct neighborhood associations and other community and businesses and stakeholders. It also includes provision of housing and treatment services for offenders in need of assistance.

Mpls DID and the Minneapolis Police Department facilitate safety discussions throughout the year. These complimentary, on-site or virtual personal sessions are aimed toward helping businesses, employees and residents of the downtown community learn safety trends, prevention tips and available resources. They are beneficial for new businesses moving into downtown, or long-time downtown businesses facilitating a return to office plans and want to continue ensuring their employees’ safety. For more information or to schedule one for your team, contact [email protected]