Tentative optimism warranted on crime near the U

Opinion editor's note: Editorials represent the opinions of the Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom.

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A year ago, a frustrated crowd of University of Minnesota students, parents and neighbors implored city and U officials to do something about increased crime that had spiked. At that time crime had spiked near the university since the 2020 start of the pandemic. During those three years assaults, violent thefts and gun violence increased.

Issues surfaced again earlier this summer in Dinkytown when teens and young adults pointed fireworks at buildings and people, harassing passersby and even assaulting pedestrians.

But here's the good news: When U students begin returning to campus this month, they'll learn about a much-needed new strategy to keep them safe on campus and in nearby neighborhoods. Officials with the U and Minneapolis, along with community leaders, have crafted a comprehensive plan that wisely includes measures like increased police presence, more secure access to buildings and greater coordination between university police, the Minneapolis Police Department and other law enforcement agencies.

The moves are a welcome response to public safety challenges that threatened to make the U less attractive to prospective students and their families.

"We are working hard to ensure that they know when they step foot on campus that they should feel a sense of safety, in every sense of the word, and know where to go for information," Myron Frans, the university's senior vice president for finance and operations, told the U's Board of Regents at a July meeting.

MPD and U police are involved in a joint effort called Dinkytown Safe Streets that has increased police presence in the area, improved more immediate enforcement and promoted violence prevention.

A community-based group that formed last year to combat the crime problems — called the Campus Safety Coalition — was among the strongest voices at that meeting a year ago and urged more action from officials. Today, the coalition's director, Erin Brumm, says her group is pleased with the steps the U and city have taken.

"Things are going in the right direction — the U has been responsive," she said. "We're not completely there yet — we had some really bad incidents earlier this summer. But the increased police patrols made a difference."

She said her group is encouraged by having had three relatively quiet weekends recently on and near campus.

Public safety generally was a major issue during the 2023 legislative session, including concerns about the U. State lawmakers approved a budget package included an additional $10 million to focus on safety efforts at the university over the next two years.