Mayor Frey proposes cutting $2.7 million from Minneapolis violence-interrupter program

Mayor Jacob Frey’s draft budget for fiscal year 2027 calls for a $2.7 million reduction to the three nonprofit groups that train and employ violence-interrupters, trimming their total city funding to roughly $800,000. Frey acknowledges the program’s noble intent but cites accountability concerns and a lawsuit over spending as reasons for the cut. He proposes expanding the city-staffed Community Safety Ambassador program with an additional $2.3 million, emphasizing tighter supervision and a chain of command.

Advocates such as Muhammad Abdul-Ahad of T.O.U.C.H. Outreach argue the interrupters’ on-the-ground mediation work has helped prevent shootings, noting the city’s dashboard shows 217 mediations last year and a 53 % drop in shootings from 2021-2025. Council member Jason Chavez has expressed shock at the proposed cuts, while the mayor maintains the decision reflects a realistic assessment of outcomes. The debate will unfold as the city council reviews the budget.