MINNEAPOLIS — Dr. Cedric Alexander announced that he is retiring come fall, leaving his post as Community Safety Commissioner for the city of Minneapolis just one year after coming on board.
Alexander's retirement was announced in a news release sent out by the city Thursday afternoon. He stepped into a newly-created position and was tasked with managing and coordinating five departments – 911, fire, emergency management, police and neighborhood safety – and breaking down barriers between them.
Alexander also played a key role in reshaping the future of policing in the city, and selecting Brian O'Hara as the department's new chief.
“When Minneapolis needed strong leadership and a clear vision, he answered the call," said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. "I am grateful for his dedication to our city and his excellent work to curb violent crime and make a comprehensive safety system a reality. I am honored to have worked alongside Commissioner Alexander and thank him for his disciplined, inclusive approach to community safety."
In an interview with KARE 11, Alexander credited his office's establishment of "Operation Endeavor" for contributing to a drop in violent crime in 2023.
EXTENDED INTERVIEW: KARE 11's Danny Spewak speaks with Minneapolis Community Safety Commissioner Dr. Cedric Alexander about his decision to retire.
"I feel good about what has happened here," Alexander said. "We've allowed ourselves now to build a foundation."
Mayor Frey initially nominated Alexander for a four-year term running until January 2026, meaning he'll be departing less than halfway through that timeframe. A spokesperson for Alexander's office confirmed that his annual salary in 2023 was nearly $334,000, but she said she was not aware of any ongoing income owed to the commissioner after he retires in September. However, she also confirmed that Alexander "is eligible to receive half of his unused vacation as a cash payment and half deposited to a health care savings account."
Alexander noted that Mayor Frey already brought him out of retirement once to serve as the Community Safety Commissioner. Now, he said he plans to return to retirement life, splitting time between his home state of Florida and Montana, where he wants to explore the great outdoors with friends.
"It's not a matter of this being for any particular reason, other than personal to me. I feel we've been able to do an incredible number of things here in this past year, which now sets the course for someone coming behind me," Alexander said. "When I took this job, it was day-to-day. For me, the most important thing... was to deal with the violence that was so prevalent at this time last year."
Alexander's tenure with the city was marked by at least one misstep. In October of 2022 he engaged in a heated Twitter exchange with a city resident who questioned the number of Minneapolis police cars parked along Nicollet Avenue. Alexander first tweeted, "It shows an effort to increase police visibility throughout downtown and across the city if you didn’t see them you would complain about that wouldn’t you. Enough of the two faced talking from both sides of your mouth already!"
Throughout the night Alexander fired off more tweets while responding to several other Twitter users, prompting criticism of what some saw as a brash and critical tone of those who would question him.
"As a resident of SE Minneapolis who lives in the shadow of the still-burnt out Third Precient (sic) building, I'm honestly shocked at how you're speaking to Minneapolis residents who pay your salary," another person tweeted. "Disagree, fine. The condescension leads me to believe you're not long for the job."
Dr. Alexander later apologized for his actions, saying his interactions with constituents "did not meet the standards I hold for myself and the Office of Community Safety team."
Alexander’s last day with the city will be September 1. The mayor will outline a transition plan in the weeks ahead.
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