Minneapolis poised to confirm next community safety commissioner

• The position oversees the police, fire, 911, emergency management, and neighborhood safety departments.

Why it matters: If approved, Barnette will take over at a crucial time for public safety in the city. The Minneapolis Police Department is facing federal and state consent decrees at a time when crime is still well above 2019 levels, though it has been on the decline for the past year.

What they're saying: Barnette, a former public defender who is currently Hennepin County's chief judge, told the Star Tribune, "Our police department is at the end of the road ... Our neighborhood safety is at the beginning of the road."

• That's a nod to the city's efforts to increase alternative policing programs, like an unarmed team of mental health professionals who intervene in nonviolent situations. Barnette told Fox 9 that those programs help reduce the number of interactions with police.

What to watch: The public hearing starts at 1:30pm Tuesday.