The University of Minnesota’s Police Department (UMPD) and Department of Public Safety opened the Off-Campus Safety Center on Sept. 6 at the former site of the Kitty Cat Klub.

According to UMN Public Safety Office’s Director of Community Engagement Nick Juarez, the safety center is looking to provide a space for students to study and interact with members of the police department. With their efforts, they hope to bring a sense of connection and safety to the Dinkytown community.

“We wanted a footprint where we can bring our resources,” Juarez said. “A place where we can bring our training, our education.”

Juarez said he sees the safety center as the culmination of all of the UMPD’s outreach efforts. As the space finds its footing, they look to give students a space to study, talk to officers and even learn some self-defense skills from trained officers in the coming months.

“There’s always popcorn, coffee and tea available for our students,” Juarez said. “We want people to be relaxed when they come here.”

Another factor Juarez said UMPD hopes the new center will add is a sense of comfort for the students living in the area. He said having a presence in the neighborhood should calm students’ nerves about crime in the area.

The opening comes on the heels of the UMPD’s expansion of mutual aid, where UMPD is partnering with the Minneapolis Police Department to expand their department’s response in the Dinkytown and Marcy-Holmes neighborhoods.

The efforts for community outreach and connection in areas with large student populations come as crime is becoming a more prevalent concern in neighborhoods near the Twin Cities campus.

Over the summer, campus and city police dealt with a spat of firework crimes in the Dinkytown neighborhood during the beginning of July that worried residents and local businesses.

Jake Ricker, spokesperson for the University, said that may be partly due to how communication about crime happens among residents.

“It only takes one incident,” Ricker said. “So even if, statistically, big picture things appear to be moving in a positive direction, every one of those incidents has a human aspect to it.”

Even with the positive outlook on crime, Ricker said the Department of Public Safety believes the center will be important in improving the relationship between students and officers around the Twin Cities campus.

“The community building aspect, there’s a lot of potential there, and I think it’s wonderful for that,” Ricker said. “And as a contributing factor to improving statistics, that would be a great added value.”

Community relations have been a large emphasis for the department in recent years, as students’ distrust of the local police has become a growing issue. Juarez and Ricker said they see this center as a big step in repairing that relationship.

UMPD Chief Matthew Clark said in a public meeting Oct. 10 that the recent focus on community engagement is also present in their hiring.

“That really is, like, the crux of what we’re looking for, is people who want to be part of the community,” Clark said. “Who are happy to engage, and be at engagement events.” 

Clark said he hopes his department can continue to play the role of a first responder by responding to 911 calls, helping the community and creating a positive impact.

More than anything, Juarez said the department wants to help students feel safer and grow bonds through initiatives like the safety center.

“Us having that visual presence in the area now, I think that reassures people,” Juarez said. “It helps build that trust with the law enforcement and the Department of Public Safety.”