Secretary Nic Hamlin (left) takes notes while founder of the Minneapolis Neighborhood Safety Clubs Aileen Johnson (right) talks with St. Anthony East residents. (Cynthia Sowden)
Twenty-three of 83 Minneapolis neighborhoods have started safety walking groups, and more are coming, including two in Northeast.
Started in the North Loop in 2021, the groups are a true grassroots effort to reduce crime with a friendly presence on city streets. The all-volunteer walkers distribute literature on personal safety and crime prevention and pick up litter. They hand out Narcan, a medication designed to counter opioid emergencies, to people who need it.
Most of the groups walk weekly, so participants get to know each other and their neighborhoods very well. “You gain an understanding of how the city works,” said Aileen Johnson, founder of the Minneapolis Neighborhood Safety Clubs.
They focus their walks on the needs of the neighborhood. Neighbors in the North Loop, for example, were faced with auto thefts, guns and stolen items from cars. At one point, after shootings in the alley next to Sex World, they set up a table on the sidewalk next to the alley and handed out literature about sexually transmitted diseases.
In Loring Park, where drug addiction is high, volunteers focused on picking up trash in the park, which Johnson said had an “immediate impact.” She said Loring Park is no longer listed among the top ten areas for crime in the city.
One North Loop retailer is so enthusiastic about the safety clubs that he provides bright orange t-shirts for each group, customized with their neighborhood logo. In the winter, he provides bright orange stocking caps. The standout color piques neighbors’ curiosity and encourages them to approach the groups and find out what they’re gathering for.
Although they’re not cops, the clubs also work closely with law enforcement. “We’re extra eyes on the street,” said Johnson. She introduced the organization to people in the St. Anthony East neighborhood at a July 21 safety walk that started at Webster Elementary School. She was there at the behest of the St. Anthony East Neighborhood Association (SAENA), which sees a walking group as a means of fostering community in the area.
Asked about the neighborhood’s primary safety concerns, SAENA Secretary Nic Hamlin listed property theft and damage as well as “late-night shenanigans when the bars close.”
Nicollet Island-East Bank
The group that patrols Nicollet Island on a weekly basis started about a year ago. John Larkey said a “core” group of six to 12 neighbors gets together on Thursday nights to pick up litter in the area. “We’re in a high-activity area, so we get a lot of food-related human garbage such as candy wrappers,” he said.
Larkey said the group was able to encourage the Minneapolis Police Department and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department to tow away an abandoned ferry that was anchored on the island. It was a magnet for kids in search of ill-advised adventure.
In other instances, they’ve been able to assist people with mental health issues.
Mainly, Larkey said, “it’s a lot of interaction with our neighbors.”
Sheridan
The Sheridan neighborhood also formed a walking group almost a year ago in October. Rose Hellat said the group came together over concerns about traffic and car accidents in the Broadway-University area. Although numbers fluctuate, a group of 10 to 12 neighborhood residents walk once a month. She said they look forward to ramping up their walks to twice a month.
She said the group is a great cure for people who are feeling isolated. “We talk about the neighborhood’s history as we walk, things that we like, our values. We have a lot more in common than you think.”
An educational element
It isn’t all just walking, talking and picking up trash for these groups. They’ve toured the Minneapolis Police Department Crime Lab and talked to technicians there; they’ve visited the 911 call center to see how it operates; and they have plans to meet with Minneapolis Park Police, to better understand how safety services operate.
More groups
coming on board
St. Anthony East is the 24th walking club to form in Minneapolis. The Kingfield neighborhood is next in line, and St. Anthony West will hold a meeting soon.
If you’d like to start a walking group in your neighborhood, contact Aileen Johnson at 612-516-9705 or fritzdoris@comcast.net.