St. Thomas invites homeowners, renters and student-neighbors to a conversation about crime trends and safety in our cities.

With crime patterns shifting in St. Paul and Minneapolis, some students and other neighbors have expressed concern about safety on the streets, in their homes and in their vehicles. A safety workshop co-sponsored by Off-Campus Student Life at the University of St. Thomas — along with Macalester-Groveland Community Council and Union Park District Council — is one answer to students’ and neighbors’ questions.

Scheduled speakers include Brooke Blakey, director of the City of Saint Paul’s new Office of Neighborhood Safety; Patty Lammers, crime prevention coordinator at the Western District headquarters of the St. Paul police; and Dan Meuwissen, director of the Department of Public Safety at St. Thomas.

Fruit, bagels and coffee will be available from 10:30 to 11 a.m., giving participants a chance to network and browse the information tables from MGCC, UPDC, St. Thomas and the city offices. A brief presentation followed by round-table dialogue will follow from 11 a.m. to noon.

Plan to attend? Contact Director of Neighborhood Relations Amy Gage at 651-962-6123 or agage@stthomas.edu so we have enough food. Our streets are safer when neighbors know one another. Hope to see you there!To make an accessibility request, call Disability Resources at (651) 962-6315.