Minneapolis Police Department: Address, Phone Number, Division, County

The Minneapolis Police Department, commonly known as MPD, is the municipal law-enforcement agency responsible for public safety within the City of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Its work includes emergency response, neighbourhood patrol, criminal investigations, traffic enforcement, crime prevention, evidence handling and community policing.

Residents should select the correct contact method according to the situation. Call 911 when a crime is in progress, someone is in immediate danger or an incident requires an officer at the scene. For non-emergency city and police-related matters, contact Minneapolis 311 by dialling 311 within the city or 612-673-3000 from outside Minneapolis. The city also supports text-to-911 for emergencies.

Minneapolis is divided into five police precincts. Each precinct has patrol officers and may also include investigators, community response personnel and crime-prevention specialists serving its assigned neighbourhoods.

Minneapolis Police Department Quick Information

These contacts are published by the City of Minneapolis, the Minneapolis Police Department and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office.

Minneapolis Police Department Address and Administration

The Minneapolis Police Department’s principal administrative office is located at:

• Minneapolis City Hall, 350 South Fifth Street, Room 130, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415

The administrative office is generally open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding city holidays. This address is used for department administration and certain official business.

City Hall should not be treated as the only place to obtain police assistance. Residents can file in-person reports at their precinct, request records from the Public Service Building and reclaim evidence from the separate Property and Evidence Unit.

Call 911 rather than travelling to City Hall or a precinct when someone is in danger, a crime is actively occurring or an incident requires an officer at the scene.

Important Minneapolis Police Contact Numbers

Call 911 to report:

• A crime currently in progress
• An immediate threat to a person or property
• A serious injury or medical emergency
• A fire
• A weapon-related incident
• A dangerous suspect who is still nearby
• Any incident requiring a police officer at the scene

The City of Minneapolis specifically advises calling 911 for a crime in progress or an incident that may require an officer’s attendance.

Call 311, or 612-673-3000, for non-emergency matters such as:

• Suspicious activity when no crime is in progress
• Abandoned vehicles
• Parking violations
• Questions about filing a report
• Assistance finding the correct precinct
• General city-service information
• Help accessing an online reporting service

Minneapolis 311 operates from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding city holidays. Urgent incidents and matters requiring immediate police attendance should still be reported through 911.

Anonymous crime information may be provided to Crime Stoppers of Minnesota at 1-800-222-TIPS, or 1-800-222-8477. A Crime Stoppers tip does not create an official police report and should not be used during an emergency.

Minneapolis Police Precincts

Minneapolis has five geographic police precincts. Residents can enter an exact street address into the city’s precinct finder to identify the correct precinct. Police boundaries do not always follow ZIP codes, neighbourhood names, wards or commonly understood community boundaries.

The precinct addresses and telephone numbers above are listed in the city’s current precinct directory.

1st Precinct

The 1st Precinct serves downtown Minneapolis. Its area is generally bordered by the Mississippi River, Interstate 94 and Plymouth Avenue North.

The precinct contains patrol officers, precinct investigators and a Community Response Team. Residents can file an in-person police report at the precinct. Reports are not accepted by the precinct through telephone calls or email.

2nd Precinct

The 2nd Precinct serves northeast Minneapolis and nearby eastern neighbourhoods. Its service area is generally bordered by the Mississippi River, 37th Avenue Northeast and the neighbouring cities of St. Anthony and St. Paul.

The precinct is staffed by patrol officers and investigators.

3rd Precinct

The 3rd Precinct serves portions of south and southeast Minneapolis. It includes patrol officers, investigators, a Community Response Team and crime-prevention personnel.

The current city directory lists the precinct contact location as 309 Second Avenue South. This is not the former precinct building at 3000 Minnehaha Avenue.

The city plans to place the future 3rd Precinct police station inside the South Minneapolis Community Safety Center at 2633 Minnehaha Avenue. The former building at 3000 Minnehaha Avenue is being repurposed as the Minneapolis Democracy Center.

4th Precinct

The 4th Precinct serves north Minneapolis. Its boundaries generally extend from the Mississippi River to the western and northern city limits, with Interstate 394 forming much of its southern boundary.

The precinct houses patrol officers, precinct investigators, a Community Response Team and community crime-prevention personnel.

5th Precinct

The 5th Precinct serves much of southwest Minneapolis. Its boundaries are generally Interstate 35W on the east, Interstate 94 on the north and the Minneapolis city limits on the west and south.

It contains patrol officers, precinct investigators, a Community Response Team and community crime-prevention personnel.

Patrol and Specialized Police Units

The MPD Patrol Bureau includes officers assigned to each of the five precincts. Patrol officers respond to emergencies, conduct day-to-day neighbourhood patrols, enforce laws and provide the department’s initial response to reported incidents.

Depending on the location and assignment, officers may patrol in squad cars, on foot, on bicycles, on horseback or with police dogs.

The Special Operations and Intelligence Division includes:

• Bomb Squad
• Crisis negotiators
• SWAT
• Mobile Command
• Strategic Information Center
• Mounted Patrol
• Canine Unit

The Bomb Squad responds to explosive and hazardous-device threats. Crisis negotiators and SWAT officers handle high-risk incidents, while the Strategic Information Center coordinates information relating to crimes and investigations.

Criminal Investigations

MPD’s investigative operations handle cases requiring follow-up beyond the initial patrol report.

The department’s investigative structure includes:

• Violent Crimes Investigations
• Special Crimes Investigations
• Forensic Services
• Precinct property-crime investigators

Violent-crime investigators work on serious assaults, shootings, robberies and homicides. Special-crime investigators handle other complex offences, while the Forensic Services Division processes physical and scientific evidence.

Not every police report is automatically assigned to a detective. Follow-up may depend on the seriousness of the offence, whether a suspect can be identified, the availability of video or physical evidence and whether the case contains useful investigative leads.

What County Is the Minneapolis Police Department In?

The Minneapolis Police Department is located in Hennepin County, Minnesota. Its jurisdiction is based on Minneapolis city limits rather than the boundaries of the entire county.

MPD is separate from the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office. Minneapolis police officers provide municipal policing within Minneapolis. The Sheriff’s Office operates the county jail, handles warrants and court security and provides other county-level law-enforcement services.

Nearby cities such as Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Edina, Golden Valley, Richfield and St. Louis Park operate separate police departments. A crime occurring in one of those cities should normally be reported to the agency responsible for that location.

The City of St. Paul is also separate from Minneapolis and is located primarily in Ramsey County. Incidents in St. Paul should generally be reported to the St. Paul Police Department.

Filing a Minneapolis Police Report

A police report can be made in several ways:

• Call 911 when the matter is urgent or requires an officer at the scene
• Contact 311 for non-emergency guidance
• File an eligible report online
• Visit the police precinct responsible for the location

The online system accepts selected reports involving:

• Lost property
• Theft
• Fraud
• Property damage

To qualify for online reporting:

• The incident must not be an emergency
• It must have occurred within Minneapolis city limits
• No weapon can have been used
• Nobody can have been injured
• The report cannot involve a lost or stolen firearm
• The report cannot involve the theft of an entire motor vehicle

When the situation does not meet these conditions, contact 311 for reporting guidance or call 911 when police attendance is required.

After filing, keep the case or report number. It may be required when requesting records, contacting an investigator, providing additional property information or submitting an insurance claim.

Obtaining Police and Accident Reports

The Minneapolis Police Records Information Unit handles requests for incident reports, accident reports, arrest records and other available police information.

The public service counter is located at:

• City of Minneapolis Public Service Building
• 505 Fourth Avenue South, Skyway Level
• Minneapolis, MN 55415

The counter is generally open:

• Monday through Thursday: 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
• Friday: 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

The Records Information Unit can be contacted at 612-673-2961.

A requester should provide:

• Police case or report number
• Incident date and approximate time
• Exact location
• Names of involved adults
• Type of incident
• Requester’s contact details
• Identification and authorization when required

Public-information police reports may contain the date, time, address, nature of the incident, involved adults and a brief incident description. MPD maintains police reports dating from 1990 forward. Private, confidential and non-public information is released only when permitted under Minnesota law.

Complete accident reports are available only to authorized people, such as individuals named in the accident report or their qualified representatives. MPD does not charge for an individual accident report.

Requests for body-camera footage, 911 incident details, photographs or larger collections of police data may require a separate data-practices request.

Property and Evidence

The MPD Property and Evidence Unit is located at:

• 3100 North Second Street
• Minneapolis, MN 55411
• Telephone: 612-673-2932

Its in-person public hours are generally noon to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Telephone service is generally available from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays.

A person collecting property normally needs:

• The police case number
• Valid state-issued identification
• Authorization from the responsible officer when the item is evidence
• A notarized letter when another person is collecting the item

Property being held as evidence cannot be released until the assigned officer or investigator authorizes it. Personal property held for safekeeping is generally retained for 60 days. Bicycles may be disposed of after 30 days if they remain unclaimed.

Towed and Impounded Vehicles

Vehicles towed from Minneapolis city streets are generally taken to:

• Minneapolis Impound Lot
• 50 Van White Memorial Boulevard
• Minneapolis, MN 55405
• Telephone: 612-673-5777

Regular operating hours are:

• Monday through Saturday: 8:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.
• Sunday: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Hours may be extended during a snow emergency.

The registered owner or an eligible relative generally must provide:

• Proof of insurance
• Current registration, title or lease agreement
• Licence-plate number or vehicle identification number
• Government-issued photo identification
• A licensed driver to remove the vehicle

Someone with a different surname may collect the vehicle with a notarized authorization from the registered owner and the required identification documents. Vehicles connected to a crime cannot be released until any police hold has been cleared.

Complaints About Minneapolis Police Conduct

Public complaints involving MPD officers are handled by the Office of Police Conduct Review, commonly known as OPCR. OPCR is a neutral City of Minneapolis agency that reviews and investigates allegations of police misconduct submitted by members of the public.

Its contact information is:

• Office of Police Conduct Review
• Minneapolis City Hall
• 350 South Fifth Street, Room 239
• Minneapolis, MN 55415
• Telephone: 612-673-5500

Regular office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Walk-in hours are generally Tuesday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

A complaint may be submitted:

• Online
• By telephone
• In person
• By mail

Useful information includes:

• Incident date and time
• Exact location
• Officer’s name or badge number
• Police vehicle information
• Report or citation number
• Names of witnesses
• Photographs, audio or video
• A clear description of what happened

OPCR generally assigns a case number within three days of receiving a complaint and sends notice of that number within seven days when the complainant has provided contact information.

MPD’s Internal Affairs Division works with OPCR on misconduct investigations and separately handles certain internal or city-employee complaints. Internal Affairs is located in City Hall, Room 112, and can be contacted at 612-673-3074.

Hennepin County Jail Information

The Minneapolis Police Department does not operate the Hennepin County Jail. The jail, also known as the Adult Detention Center, is managed by the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office.

The jail operates from two downtown locations:

Hennepin County Public Safety Facility

• 401 South Fourth Avenue
• Minneapolis, MN 55415

Minneapolis City Hall

• 350 South Fifth Street
• Minneapolis, MN 55415

Jail information: 612-348-5112

The online jail roster is updated hourly and includes people currently held as well as those released during the previous seven days. It may also show charges, bail information and scheduled court dates.

A person may be arrested by Minneapolis police and later transferred into Hennepin County custody. Questions about bail, inmate location, visitation, court dates or jail procedures should be directed to the Sheriff’s Office rather than an MPD precinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is 311 the Minneapolis police non-emergency number?

A: Minneapolis uses 311 as the main contact for non-emergency city and police-related issues. Call 612-673-3000 when 311 cannot be dialled directly. Call 911 for a crime in progress or an incident requiring an officer at the scene.

Q: Can I file a report at any Minneapolis precinct?

A: You can make an in-person report at a police precinct. Using the precinct responsible for the incident address may make the process more direct.

Q: Is the 3rd Precinct still located at 3000 Minnehaha Avenue?

A: No. The former station at 3000 Minnehaha Avenue is being repurposed as the Minneapolis Democracy Center. The city currently lists the 3rd Precinct at 309 Second Avenue South and plans a future precinct station inside the South Minneapolis Community Safety Center at 2633 Minnehaha Avenue.

Q: Can I report a stolen vehicle online?

A: No. The online police-report system does not accept reports involving the theft of an entire motor vehicle. Contact 311 for instructions or call 911 if the theft is happening or an immediate response is needed.

Q: Can I report a lost or stolen firearm online?

A: No. Firearm loss or theft is excluded from the standard online reporting system. Contact the city for direct police reporting assistance.

Q: Does a Minneapolis mailing address always fall under MPD?

A: Not necessarily. Some addresses near municipal boundaries may be served by another city’s police department. The exact location where the incident occurred determines jurisdiction.

Q: Can a visitor file a Minneapolis police report?

A: Yes. A person does not need to live in Minneapolis to report an incident that occurred within the city. Visitors should provide reliable permanent contact information and retain the report number.

Q: Can I obtain an accident report for free?

A: Yes. MPD states that it does not charge for an individual accident report. The requester must still be an authorized person and may need identification.

Q: Why can’t I receive the complete police file?

A: Some information is classified as private, confidential or non-public under Minnesota law. Records may also be restricted to protect victims, juveniles, witnesses and active investigations.

Q: Does MPD operate the jail inside Minneapolis City Hall?

A: No. The jail spaces in City Hall and the Public Safety Facility are operated by the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, not MPD.

A: Search the city’s Impound Lot vehicle system or call 612-673-5777. Have the licence-plate number or vehicle identification number available.

Q: Can someone else collect my towed vehicle?

A: Yes, in some circumstances. A person with a different surname generally needs a notarized statement from the registered owner, a copy of the owner’s identification and the vehicle details.

Q: Can someone else collect my property from MPD?

A: Possibly. A designee normally needs a notarized authorization letter. Evidence also requires release approval from the officer or investigator handling the case.

Q: Do I need an officer’s name to file a misconduct complaint?

A: No. Provide the incident date, time, location, officer description, police vehicle information and any report or citation number. These details may help OPCR identify the officer.

Q: Can MPD take a report for an incident in St. Paul?

A: Normally not. St. Paul is a separate city with its own police department. The law-enforcement agency responsible for the location where the incident occurred should generally take the report.