>> THE NEW OFF CAMPUS SAFETY CENTER FOR STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA IS NOW OPEN IN DINKY TOWN. CRIME H HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE IN THAT AREA FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS , AND UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS SAY THEY'RE NOW INVESTING MORE IN PUBLIC SAFETY THAN EVER BEFORE. BRETT HOFFMAN SHOWS US THE NEW FACILITY DEDICATED TO KEEPING THE STUDENT NEIGHBORHOOD SAFE. >> WELL, YOU MAY RECOGNIZE THIS BUILDING. THIS IS THE FORMER KITTY CAT CLUB LOCATION. AND TODAY, THERE WAS A GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION. AND WE'RE ALSO LEARNING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THIS SPACE WILL OFFER FOR DINKYTOWN. ANOTHER SCHOOL YEAR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA BRINGS NEW FACES, AND NOW A NEW SAFETY CENTER OFF CAMPUS. I THINK IT MAKES ME FEEL A LOT BETTER BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ISSUES RECENTLY. THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE ISSUES FACING THE DINKYTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD IN PAST YEARS. YOUNG PEOPLE TOSSING FIREWORKS AT PROPERTY AND A STRING OF ARMED ROBBERIES, INCLUDING THIS ONE DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY. THERE WAS ONE TIME WHEN THERE WAS THE SHOOTING OVER JUST LIKE OVER THERE IN ONE OF THOSE BUILDINGS. >> I WAS LITERALLY IN MY CAR, LIKE AS IT HAD JUST HAPPENED DRIVING PAST. PEOPLE ARE LIKE, OH, YOU'RE GOING TO THE U. IS IT SAFE THERE NOW WITH THIS FACILITY NEAR UNIVERSITY AND 14TH AVENUE, THE U OF M AND DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY ARE IN THE HEART OF DINKYTOWN. >> THE SAFETY CENTER OPENING TODAY IS AN EXAMPLE THAT WE ARE LISTSTENING. >> IT WILL OFFER SECURE STUDY AREA AND MEETING PLACE FOR STUDENTS FROM 9 A.M. TO 11 P.M. ON WEEKDAYS AS A HOME BASE FOR COMMUNITY SAFETY GROUPS AND EVEN A CLASSROOM FOR SAFETY SPECIFIC COURSES. SELF-DEFENSE, ACTIVE THREAT, SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. PLUS, THERE'S A ROOM IN BACK FOR ALL FIRST RESPONDERS WHO MAY BE PATROLLING DURING THE WEEK OR ON WEEKEND DAYS. >> IT IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY CENTER WHERE FIRST RESPONDERS ARE WELCOME AND FRIDAY AFTERNOON, A GROUP REPRESENTING PARENTS, STUDENTS AND BUSINESSES WHO PUSHED FOR SOMETHING TO CHANGE DONATED $10,000 TO GO TOWARD THE STUDENT CENTER BY HAVING POLICE AND PRESENCE HERE, IT DOES ACT AS A DETERRENT AND WE BELIEVE THAT WILL HELP MARCI AND ALYSSA NELSON ARE SISTERS AT THE U. >> WHILE THEY'RE STILL LEARNING WHAT IT IS, THEY'RE HOPEFUL THIS SPACE IS A STEP TOWARDS A SAFER DINKYTOWN. >> IT DOES MAKE ME FEEL A LOT BETTER, SAFER. HOPEFULLY WHEN I COME OUT HERE, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT AND THE UMPD POLICE CHIEF SAYS A MEASURE OF SUCCESS HERE WILL BE SEEING JUST HOW MANY PEOPLE COME AND USE THIS FACILITY. >> HE ALSO SAYS IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, COME CHECK IT OUT