Metro briefs: Brooklyn Park hires new police chief

Mark Bruley is the new top cop in Brooklyn Park.

Bruley had been serving as interim police chief since June, when Craig Enevoldsen retired. On Monday, the City Council awarded Bruley the job, which comes with a salary of $172,400.

Bruley has been with the department for 27 years. He's worked as a precinct commander, and since 2014 as deputy chief in charge of investigations. He has also managed the department's Youth Violence Prevention Initiative and has overseen the hiring of police officers and cadets, which resulted in a double-digit increase in people of color in sworn officer positions, according to the council resolution.

Earlier this year, Bruley was a finalist to become police chief in Bloomington, but he said he's glad to be staying in Brooklyn Park.

"I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to lead the great men and women of this organization," he said in an email. "I will focus a significant amount of my time building relationships to help bring the community closer together with the police. I will also make sure to include the community voice into my decisionmaking as a police leader."

Bruley graduated from Lakewood Community College with an associate of arts in law enforcement degree and holds a bachelor of arts in criminal justice from Capella University.

He said his biggest challenge in his new role will be addressing rising violent crime and ensuring that both prevention and intervention are directed toward those committing crimes.

Tim Harlow

A group of Minnetonka residents is looking to donate a decades-old tennis court to the city for use as a neighborhood park.

The group built the tennis court at 11209 Timberline Road in the 1980s. But with the court now sitting unused, they want the city's Park Board to take it on.

If the 0.4-acre parcel becomes a park — technically a "minipark," due to its size — residents of roughly 160 nearby homes will be within a mile's walk. The nearest park is up to 2.2 miles away.

Park Board members on Aug. 3 delayed a vote to accept the land donation, saying they wanted community input. One resident who attended the Park Board meeting expressed concerns about transforming the land into a park, noting potential crowds and parking problems.

Instead of a park, a few board members said, residents might want the land to be a parking lot or another type of green space.

Katelyn Vue

New Brighton city leaders have adopted a new, lower speed limit of 25 mph for most city streets.

The new speed limit goes into effect Sept. 1 with more than 40 new signs being installed in August.

"Lowering traffic speeds is a first step to promote a safer transportation system and protect our most vulnerable populations," according to a statement on the city's website.

New Brighton joins a growing list of communities that have either lowered speed limits or are considering doing so. Minneapolis, St. Paul and St. Anthony have all lowered speed limits in recent years.

Shannon Prather