Duluth Police Chief Discusses Safety, Improvements in Downtown Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth Police Chief Mike Tusken started his Wednesday by speaking with and listening to the concerns of business owners in downtown Duluth.

The event took place at the Lyric Conference Center inside the Holiday Inn.

It was the first of multiple discussions the City of Duluth and the Greater Downtown Council are having to help improve the experience for visitors and employees in the downtown district.

Over the past few years, Chief Tusken says the magnitude of crimes in the downtown area is changing. Now the issues are becoming more personal.

“Issues that were a decade ago of crime, perhaps robberies and thefts, those have come down. Now we see a lot of our problems surrounding people who are suffering from mental illness and or substance abuse, also people who are experiencing homelessness and looking for resources to address those to give people a hand up,” said Chief Tusken.

The Greater Downtown Council and the City of Duluth will continue to work in partnership to make sure the concerns of business owners are being heard and organizations are working together to address issues impacting the district.