Minneapolis City Council members in deadlock vote for new 3rd Precinct location
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Minneapolis City Council committee members remain in a deadlock vote Tuesday for the latest proposal on where to rebuild the Third Precinct.
The discussion follows Mayor Jacob Frey’s proposal to build the new Minneapolis Police Department's Third Precinct at 2633 Minnehaha Ave. The location went on the market on Oct. 25 and costs an estimated $10 million to purchase, plus another $4 million to build out – a $14 million price tag for the city.
It would take an estimated nine months to have the location ready for MPD, "the quickest timeline of any location option presented to date," according to Frey's previous announcement.
After the discussion, the Committee of the Whole voted on whether to move forward with purchasing the building but was deadlocked in a 6-6 vote. The matter will now go in front of the full Minneapolis City Council during Thursday's meeting.
The main concerns committee members voiced were the timeline for the Community Safety Center opening within the Third Precinct and what services would be available. However, Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette could not provide a firm timeline for the center and noted there needs to be community engagement to determine what services the public wants in the building.
While the committee couldn't reach an agreement on Tuesday, MPD Officers for the Third Precinct remain operating out of a downtown facility in Century Plaza since the former location at 3000 Minnehaha Ave. burned down during protests over George Floyds’s death.
The Minneapolis City Council has previously considered two sites for the home of the new Third Precinct: the former precinct site at 3000 Minnehaha Ave. and a vacant city-owned lot at 2600 Minnehaha Ave.
Less than a block away from the latter, Frey has proposed a third location for the precinct – located at 2633 Minnehaha Ave. – that he says, "comes at less cost to taxpayers than previous options and will be ready to house officers sooner than other viable sites."
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
MPD 3rd precinct discussions nearing end
More than three years after the 3rd precinct for the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) burned down during riots over the death of George Floyd, the clock continues to tick on a decision toward a replacement. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey would like a decision from the Minneapolis City Council sooner than later.