2016 Review: Safety and Justice

PAFR Header Image

The Safety and Justice Service Team includes Emergency Communications, Emergency Management & Homeland Security and the Medical Examiner's Office. It also maintains primary strategic partnerships with the Offices of the Sheriff and County Attorney.

Highlights of this team's work in 2016 include:

Start by Believing press conference on April 12
County Attorney John Choi announcing the
Start by Believing initiative

  • The County Attorney’s and Sheriff’s offices and Public Health introduced a free countywide gun lock program to promote household gun safety by distributing 2,500 locks to community centers, libraries and other public locations.
  • The County Attorney’s Office and partners initiated the Start by Believing partnership to support victims of sexual violence.
  • Correctional Officers and Sheriff’s Deputies provided for the safety, security and transportation of about 400 inmates each day at the Adult Detention Center.
  • The Sheriff’s Office hosted dozens of community events including Night to Unite, Scouting Day and Hot Dog with a Deputy, as well as partnering with other local agencies on other initiatives involving traffic and pedestrian safety and Safe Ride Home events on St. Patrick’s Day and New Year’s Eve.
    Emergency Management & Homeland Security's mobile incident command center
    Ramsey County's mobile incident
    command center
  • Telecommunicators and dispatchers in the Emergency Communications Center handled more than 325,000 emergency and 450,000 non-emergency calls for service. Partnering with Social Services, the center also launched a program to refer some callers directly to the mental health crisis line.​
  • Emergency Management & Homeland Security prepared the county for potential emergencies all year long. In April, they partnered with the Sheriff’s Office and local public safety agencies, the Minnesota National Guard and the US Army Reserve in a full scale preparedness exercise in Arden Hills.
  • The Medical Examiner's Office introduced a new case management system and staff resources to more efficiently and effectively serve the county's communities and partners. The office provided clearance for 43 organ donors – resulting in 135 lifesaving organ transplants – and also referred 161 potential tissue donors, 51 of whom were able to donate.