Some living in the University of Minnesota area still feel crime is high, despite crime levels declining. 

Crime during the coronavirus pandemic reached an all-time high in the Dinkytown and Marcy-Holmes area. Since then, crime has consistently decreased with all forms of crime down from 2024-25, according to the crime dashboard.

The University took the initiative with this increase, adding more cameras in the area, more blue light kiosks and more street lighting to help prevent violent crimes. 

This past year, the University added a safety center in Dinkytown. The Off-Campus Safety Center features resources for students and acts as a general hub for safety in an area that has struggled in the past. 

Burglary, theft, motor theft and vandalism are the most common crimes around campus. All four of the most common crimes are down from last year, with the exception of burglary, which has decreased in the last three years but had a slight increase of about 14% in 2025.

Theft has decreased by about 17%, motor theft has decreased by about 35% and vandalism/property damage by about 18% over the past year, according to the crime dashboard for Ward 2. 

There was a 60% drop in violent crime from 2021 to 2023 in Dinkytown, according to the crime dashboard for Ward 2. 

University of Minnesota Police Department and the Minneapolis Police Department have also been working closely together, with UMPD offering officers and camera surveillance to the MPD for use. 

Ward 2, encompassing the Dinkytown, Marcy Holmes, Como and Prospect Park areas, has seen a decrease in crime across the board, according to MPD spokesperson Sergeant Garrett Parten.

“Overall, crime is down, with the exception of two more assaults and four more burglaries reported in the Como neighborhood,” Parten said. 

The Off-Campus Safety Center is open to students during the day and is accessible with a U card. This building is not accessible to those who are not students and faculty at the University. 

East Bank neighborhood Chris Lautenschlager said it is not a bad mark on Dinkytown to have a safety center in the area. 

“I wish they could have expanded the hours and services to other people besides university students,”  Lautenschlager said.

Those who are not students and live in Dinkytown, Marcy-Holmes and Como are unable to access or report crimes at the safety center, limiting resources to only students living in the area, Lautenschlager added. 

Although crime is down in the University area, the way crime is discussed is at a high, according to Lautenschlager.

“People still feel like crime is running rampant throughout the streets of Minneapolis,” Lautenschlager said. “People point out specific crimes and amplify it via their Twitter feeds or blue sky or Facebook accounts.” 

With social media usage at an all-time high, the impression of Minneapolis crime can come from media and not actual crime statistics, added Lautenschlager. This trend can misconstrue the image of Minneapolis crime,  Lautenschlager said.

“There will be some people online who just want to amplify it and say the Dinkytown area and Minneapolis have gone to hell,”  Lautenschlager said.

“MPD consistently evaluates and discusses crime data and individual cases to identify areas where crime is concentrated. Based on this analysis, decisions are made regarding the deployment of resources to address emerging trends,”  Parten said.

Correction: A previous version had two different spellings of Chris Lautenschlager’s last name. The correct spelling is Lautenschlager.