THANKS VERY MUCH FOR COMING OVER.

>> CATHY: PUBLIC SAFETY WAS AN IMPORTANT TOPIC IN A SPIRITED MINNEAPOLIS MAYORAL DEBATE.

OUR MARY LAHAMMER HELPED MODERATE FOR THE DOWNTOWN COUNCIL, MINNEAPOLIS CHAMBER, AND CITIZENS LEAGUE.

IT WAS THE FIRST REAL CHANCE FOR ALL THE CANDIDATES TO INTERACT AND DIFFERENTIATE THEMSELVES IN THE STATE'S LARGEST CITY.

>> Mary: PUBLIC SAFETY, IT'S ON A LOT OF OUR MINDS.

WE'VE HAD MASS SHOOTINGS.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF VIOLENCE, VANDALISM.

SECURITY.

IT'S REALLY RIGHT HERE.

YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED COMING IN AND OUT.

SENATOR, I WANT YOU TO TAKE IT UP FIRST BECAUSE YOU'VE HAD ANTI-MUSLIM VANNED ANTI-MUSLIM VANN VANDALISM AT YR CAMPAIGN HEAD CARES, TALK ABOUT THAT.

>> WHEN YOU CALL 911, YOU GET THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE AND YOU ACTUALLY GET RESPONSE, PERIOD.

WE DON'T NEED AN ARMED OFFICER TO RESPOND TO EVERY SINGLE CALL.

WE KNOW THAT AT THE CITY, WE HAD A REPORT THAT SHOWED THAT NEARLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN OF 911 CALLS CAN BE DIVERTED AWAY FROM POLICE.

THAT MEANS ALTERNATIVES TO POLICE, THE BCR TEAMS, CITATION CITATION RESPONSE, THE MENTAL HEALTH, WHO.

I WORKED REALLY HARD WITH MY COLLEAGUES AT THE CAPITOL TO BRING IN $19 MILLION IN PUBLIC SAFETY AID TO HELP BEEF THAT UP.

BUT FOR A LONG TIME, IT WENT LARGELY UNTOUCHED BECAUSE WE HAD A MAYOR THAT WAS HAVING AN ADVERSARIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.

>> Mary: YOU'VE BEEN THE SPOKES PERSON THROUGH MASSIVE TRAGEDIES, SHOOTINGS, EATHS, IT'S BEEN A REALLY BRUTAL SUMMER FOR THE STATE AND THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS.

IN THE STRONG MAYOR SYSTEM WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH THE POLICE FORCE, WITH THE HENNEPIN COUNTY ATTORNEY?

WHAT ARE YOUR NEW SOLUTIONS?

>> SO LET'S START WHERE WE AGREE.

I BELIEVE IN A COMPREHENSIVE FORM OF PUBLIC SAFETY WHERE WE ARE MATCHING A UNIQUE SKILL SET CAN THE UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES HAPPENING ON THE GROUND.

AND WE ARE ONE OF THE FEW CITIES IN THE COUNTRY THAT ARE CARRYING THAT OUT.

WE NOW HAVE 24-HOUR A DAY, SEVEN-DAY A WEEK MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE.

AND I ALSO BELIEVE THAT WE NEED POLICE OFFICERS AND WE NEED FAR MORE THAN WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.

WE ARE PRESENTLY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE ON THE POLICE FORCE.

WE SAW 135% INCREASE IN APPLICATIONS.

AND THE M.P.D.

IS MORE DIVERSE THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN IN HISTORY.

>> Mary: WHERE DO YOU DISAGREE?

>> WE DISAGREE ON POLICE OFFICERS.

WHILE CANDIDATES MAY HAVE CHANGED THEIR POSITION OVER, SENATOR OMAR FATEH VERY CLEARLY SUPPORTED DEFUNDING AND GETTING RID OF POLICE.

I, THROUGH THE MOST DIFFICULT OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE STOOD UP AND SAID THAT IS NOT THE RIGHT METHOD NOW.

THAT IS NOT THE RIGHT METHOD, PERIOD.

>> I SUPPORTED QUESTION -- QUESTION TWO IN 2021.

WHICH WOULD HAVE CREATED AN OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY THAT HAD A POLICE DEPARTMENT UNDER IT, WITH ALTERNATIVES AS WELL.

>> >> Mary: IS THAT DEFUNDING THE POLICE?

IS THAT A FAIR DEPICTION?

>> NO, BECAUSE, NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE A CHARTER AMENDMENT -- WE HAVE A CHARTER THAT SHOWS HOW MANY OFFICERS WE NEED.

WE HAVE A BUDGET BASED ON OF OF THAT.

WE INCREASED THE BUDGET YEAR AFTER YEAR SINCE THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD.

>> AT ANNUNCIATION WAS ONE OF THE MOST HORRIFIC THINGS THAT OUR CITY HAS EXPERIENCED.

HOW DO WE STOP THAT FROM HAPPENING?

WE BAN ASSAULT RIFLES.

WE BAN HIGH CAPACITY MAGAZINES - >> Mary: FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, YOU CAN'T LOCALLY.

>> WE CAN'T LOCALLY BUT IF THE STATE OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ISN'T WILLING TO DO IT, WE SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY IN CITIES TO DO IT OURSELVES.

>> WE HAVE A MAYOR THAT CREATED A TOXIC SITUATION WITH CITY COUNCIL AND WITH COMMUNITIES BY IMPLYING THAT IF YOU'RE PRO-POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY, YOU'RE ANTI-YOU BELIEVE PUBLIC SAFETY AND THAT'S FLAT-OUT WRONG.

>> Mary: REBUTTAL, MR.

MAYOR.

>> LET'S STOP SETTING UP THESE STRAW MAN ARGUMENTS ONLY TO KNOCK THEM DOWN.

I HAVE SAID, NOTWITHSTANDING DONALD TRUMP WE ARE GOING TO ABIDE BY EVERY SENTENCE OF EVERY PARAGRAPH OF BOTH THE CONSENT DID ECREE -- >> Mary: WOULD ANYBODY SUPPORT THAT AND THE NATIONAL GUARD?

>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.

[ Laughter ] >> Mary: OKAY.

>> NO.

>> NO.

>> NO.

>> NO.

>> Mary: THAT WITH A A LIGHTNING ROUND.

[ Laughter ] >> IT HAS BEEN CLEAR IN THIS CAMPAIGN THAT THREE KOIRNTS HAVE CHOSEN TO CAMPAIGN AGAINST ONE CANDIDATE.

DO YOU SUPPORT THE CONTINUATION OF RANKED CHOICE VOTING IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS?

>> Mary: YES, NO, OR MAYBE.

>> MAYBE, MAYBE.

>> YES, I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT RECEIVINGED CHOICE -- >> MAYOR, YES?

>> YES.

>> YES, AND I'VE SUPPORTED STATEWIDE LEGISLATION.

>> CONTRARY TO WHAT IT MAY HAVE SEEMED LIKE, THIS IS INDEED A MULTICANDIDATE RACE FOR RANKED CHOICE.

AND SO I REJECT, AND I WANT YOU TO REJECT THE IDEA THAT THERE IS A BINARY BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE.

WE NEED NEW LEADERSHIP.

>> JACOB FREY HAS BEEN MAYOR NOW FOR NEARLY EIGHT YEARS, ALL VETOES, FULL OF VETOES AND A MORE DIVIDED GOVERNMENT AND CITY THAN EVER BEFORE.

HE LIED ABOUT BANNING NO-KNOCK WARRANTS AND AMIR LOCKE DIED.

HE DIED ABOUT THERE ONLY BEING 27 UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS.

NOW THERE'S MORE UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS THAN WHEN HE FIRST TOOK OFFICE.

>> AS MAYOR, YOU MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS DURING SOME OF THE MOST TRYING OF CIRCUMSTANCES.

AND OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, ESPECIALLY, WE IN THIS CITY HAVE CONFRONTED ADVERSITY TOGETHER.

AND OUR CITY IS COMING BACK, AND THIS CITY RIGHT NOW IS FACED WITH A CHOICE.

A CHOICE BETWEEN A PATH THAT PUTS SLOGANS AND SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS BEFORE SOLUTIONS.

AND THE OTHER PATH THAT VALUES DELIVERING RESULTS FOR OUR CITY.

>> AND I SAID 'M NOT RUNNING AGAINST ANYONE.

I'M RUNNING FOR THE CITY.

FOR FAR TOO LONG WHEN YOU'RE OPENING THE NEWSPAPER OR READING IT ONLINE, IT FEELS LIKE YOU'RE READING ABOUT CONFLICTS WITHIN CITY LEADERSHIP RATHER THAN THE PROGRESS THAT WE COULD BE MAKING WITHIN THE CITY.

I AM SO PROUD TO SAY THAT I AM GOING TO BE A MAYOR THAT UNIFIES THIS CITY AND MOVES US FORWARD.

>> I'M A COMMUNITY MEMBER THAT TAKES THIS JOB SERIOUSLY, UNLIKE THREE MEN WHO THINK THEY ARE SELLING GIRL SCOUT