Hodges' State Of The City Focuses On Gun Violence, Equity

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges delivered her 2016 State of the City address Tuesday to city leaders and community members at the MacPhail Center for Music.

In her role as mayor, Hodges has focused on three goals: running the city well, growing the city and increasing equity.

The first topic she touched on in her address was gun violence. Recently, the city has seen an uptick in shootings, especially on the city's north side.

Hodges called the violence "entirely unacceptable and shocking."

Just this month, gunfire between rival gangs left one man dead and several others injured. Also, a little girl was hit by a stray bullet as she slept in her bed.

Hodges addressed north side residents, saying she hears their concerns.

The mayor said that as the city's police department adds more officers over the summer, the lion's share of them will be deployed to the north side and downtown Minneapolis.

Already, Chief Janee Harteau has increased patrols in north Minneapolis.

Another topic Hodges touched on was city-wide paid sick leave. An ordinance for the policy is inching forward.

The mayor also spoke about employment issues facing people of color in the city. To address the well-documented racial disparities, Hodges says training programs are in effect and currently succeeding in closing the gaps.