Committee forwards proposed Director of Police Health & Wellness to council amid funding dispute
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Summary
The committee moved the proposed appointed Director of Police Health & Wellness to the full council without recommendation after MPD and council members debated funding: MPD proposed using a vacant compliance specialist FTE and reducing one embedded Hennepin County social worker (saving $67,000), which many council members opposed and asked to replace with alternative sources.
The Super Committee of the Whole forwarded to full council, without recommendation, a proposal to create an appointed Director of Police Health & Wellness after hours of testimony and debate about funding sources.
Brenda Miller, city classification supervisor, and Minneapolis Police Department health and wellness staff presented the proposed grade, salary range and duties for the new director — a non‑sworn subject‑matter expert who would oversee a new Health & Wellness Division, align clinical practices and report to the police chief. Miller said the position meets criteria in Minneapolis Code of Ordinances section 20‑10‑10 for appointed positions.
MPD officials said the request follows a consortium staffing plan tied to the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR) settlement process and the department’s employee health‑and‑wellness assessment; they cited increased therapy use, a high contract allocation for Wellness That Fits (presenters cited a $2,760,000 maximum contract figure) and escalating operational stress after recent incidents. "In January 2026 we saw 89 therapy visits alone," MPD presenters said, noting a spike in PTSD‑related leaves and separations.
City finance staff and MPD proposed funding the director in the current year by repurposing a vacant compliance specialist position and reducing the city’s embedded social worker contract with Hennepin County (reducing the county‑embedded complement from four to three), which MPD said would save about $67,000 this year. Council members across the dais expressed broad support for the director in principle but strong reservations about using the embedded social worker reduction to fund it.
Council Member Stevenson moved to refer the item back to staff to find alternative funding; that motion was later withdrawn in favor of a motion by Council Member Chavez to move the item to the full council "without recommendation" so staff could present alternate funding proposals before final council action. The committee approved that motion by voice and will consider the staffing and budget details at the full council meeting the next day.
What comes next: The item will appear on the full council agenda; council members requested staff memos with alternate funding options, cost‑calculation clarifications and analysis of the proposed impacts to embedded social worker coverage.
