Frey nominates veteran officer to head new community safety agency
Mayor Jacob Frey on Thursday nominated Cedric Alexander to the new post of community safety commissioner.
If confirmed by the city council, Alexander would head a proposed Office of Community Safety that would oversee the police and fire departments, the city’s 911 system, as well as the existing violence prevention and emergency management offices.
"This is a person with a wealth of experience that is highly respected nationwide,” Frey said at a news conference. “We are thrilled to have him enter our city to make the kind of changes that we need to see."
Alexander said he hopes to set new standards for public safety in Minneapolis.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
"We know the history of this community before George Floyd,” Alexander said. “We know George Floyd is still very much a part of our lives. People feel still feel the pain around it. But the most important thing here for me is that we never forget the history and the challenges. But what we have to look forward to now is a future of change."
Alexander, who has a doctorate in clinical psychology, has served in law enforcement for more than 40 years. He was police chief of DeKalb County, Georgia in the Atlanta metro area, and was part of President Obama's Task Force on 21st Century Policing.
Frey will seek the Minneapolis City Council’s approval for Alexander’s appointment later this month.
In November, voters rejected a charter amendment that would have replaced the Minneapolis Police Department with a public safety agency that could have included armed police officers “if necessary.”
Frey made the announcement on the same day that a federal judge sentenced former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin to more than 20 years in prison for violating Floyd’s civil rights. Chauvin is already serving a state prison sentence for murdering Floyd in 2020.