Office of Neighborhood Safety

What Is the Office of Neighborhood Safety?

ONS is Saint Paul’s center for prevention, intervention, and neighborhood-focused safety solutions.

Rather than focusing solely on law enforcement or emergency response, the Office of Neighborhood Safety works across City departments and community organizations to reduce violence before it happens—and to build long-term safety in ways that matter to residents.

The Office of Neighborhood Safety coordinates and delivers key components of the Community-First Public Safety (C1PS) strategy, including:

• Gun violence intervention and outreach

• Community-based alternative response

• Grantmaking to support neighborhood safety programs

• Resident-led advisory councils and campaigns

• Data collection, evaluation, and strategy development

Through this work, the Office of Neighborhood Safety helps connect Saint Paul’s public safety systems to the communities they serve—centering equity, transparency, and trust.

What Is Community-First Public Safety?

A Citywide Strategy for Lasting Safety

Community-First Public Safety is built on the understanding that true safety comes from stability, opportunity, and trust. It’s not just about how we respond to emergencies—but how we prevent them in the first place.

Our approach is rooted in five priorities:

• Trust & Fairness in Response: Community members who trust public safety agencies are more likely to call for help, report crimes, and engage in solutions.

• Strong Community Connections: People with access to housing, education, and economic opportunity are more likely to thrive—and less likely to experience or commit violence.

• Use of Real-Time Data & Research: We partner across systems to analyze trends, measure progress, and continuously improve.

• Shared Goals Across Partners: We align efforts across police, fire, inspections, public health, and community organizations to amplify impact.

• Designing Safer Spaces: Safe, welcoming neighborhoods are supported by intentional design, lighting, maintenance, and access to green space.

Learn more about Community-First Response Teams

Office of Neighborhood Safety in Action: Project PEACE

Reducing Gun Violence Through Focused Intervention

In Saint Paul, a small number of individuals are connected to a significant share of gun violence. The City is responding with a focused intervention strategy that combines outreach, accountability, and care—led by the Office of Neighborhood Safety in close collaboration with community partners, service providers, and law enforcement.

This work connects individuals at the highest risk of gun violence involvement with intensive, sustained support. Trusted community leaders and outreach workers engage directly to offer personalized pathways away from violence, including:

• Job placement and mentorship

• Housing and stabilization services

• Behavioral and mental health support

• Ongoing engagement and accountability

This strategy is delivered through Project PEACE, Saint Paul’s locally designed gun violence intervention model, developed in partnership with residents and community stakeholders.

By focusing resources where they can make the greatest impact, Saint Paul is:

• Reducing cycles of retaliation and harm

• Supporting individuals in transitioning out of violence

• Centering healing and safety for families and neighborhoods

Read Mayor Carter’s announcement of Project PEACE.

Office of Neighborhood Safety Leadership

Brooke Blakey, Director

As Director of the Office of Neighborhood Safety, Brooke Blakey leads the implementation of the City’s Community-First Public Safety strategy, overseeing violence prevention initiatives, alternative response efforts, community engagement, and interagency coordination. 

Blakey brings more than two decades of experience in public safety leadership and mental health-informed response, with past roles at Metro Transit Police, the Minnesota State Fair Police Department, and the Ramsey County Public Defender’s Office. 

She holds degrees in child psychology, criminology, forensic psychology, and forensic science, and has completed executive training with the FBI-LEEDA and Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command. Her leadership centers equity, prevention, and community-rooted service.

Rachel Holzemer, Deputy Director

Rachel Holzemer manages internal operations and strategic initiatives for ONS, including data systems, program design, and enterprise partnerships that align public safety with resident-centered outcomes. She has led the development and launch of several Citywide efforts, including the Saint Paul Bridge Fund, Returning Home Saint Paul, and the creation of ONS itself. 

Before joining the City, Holzemer worked in innovation and human services roles at Hennepin County, bringing deep experience in continuous improvement and collaborative system change. 

She holds a Master’s degree in Leadership and Management from Concordia University and a Bachelor’s in Arts from the University of Minnesota.ster of Arts in Leadership and Management at Concordia University.  

Lynnaia Jacobsen, Neighborhood Safety Community Council Manager

Lynnaia Jacobsen leads the Neighborhood Safety Community Council (NSCC), ensuring resident and stakeholder voices shape public safety policy, grantmaking, and accountability. She also supports Council operations, recruitment, and community engagement strategies that expand participation in violence prevention efforts. 

A native of Frogtown-Midway and graduate of Saint Paul Central, Jacobsen brings extensive public safety administrative experience—including roles with Metro Transit Police, Washington and Dakota County emergency dispatch centers, and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. 

She holds a Bachelor of Science from Metro State University with a focus on ethics, politics, and criminal justice.

Faith Lofton, Program Manager

Faith Lofton manages core violence prevention programs and community partnerships for ONS, with a focus on culturally responsive service delivery and support for residents impacted by systemic inequities. 

She played a central role in launching the Returning Home Saint Paul pilot and previously served as Program Director and Interim CEO at Ujamaa Place, where she led efforts to support formerly incarcerated African American men. A proud graduate of Saint Paul Central and longtime Rondo resident, Lofton brings deep experience in mental health services, reentry programming, and nonprofit leadership. 

She is a graduate of Saint Paul College and attended Metropolitan State University.

Neighborhood Safety Community Council (NSCC)

The Neighborhood Safety Community Council (NSCC) is a 15-member advisory group that helps guide the City’s violence prevention strategy. Appointed community members work alongside the Office of Neighborhood Safety to shape annual priorities, review grant proposals, and evaluate the impact of neighborhood safety initiatives.

The Council’s responsibilities include:

• Recommending and prioritizing community safety strategies

• Reviewing and reporting on the effectiveness of ONS programs

• Advising on $4 million in annual grant funding

• Helping ensure safety efforts are grounded in lived experience and resident input

Members meet quarterly and may also form task forces to focus on specific areas of concern. Task forces can include both NSCC members and community participants not formally appointed to the Council. All members and task force participants receive a $50 stipend per meeting.

This is a hands-on opportunity to influence how Saint Paul prevents violence, invests in neighborhoods, and builds a safer city for everyone.

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