John Harrington, the former Commissioner for the Department of Public Safety for Minnesota, was appointed by Governor Tim Walz in January 2019 and served until January 2023. Before becoming the Commissioner of Public Safety, John served as the Chief of the Metro Transit Police from 2012 to 2019, helping to create the Homeless Action Team and increasing the diversity of the agency’s staff from 5 percent to 50 percent. Since beginning his career in 1977, John has dedicated his professional life to public service. He is a former member of the Minnesota Senate and the former chief of police for the City of St. Paul, where he served from 2004 to 2010. As the St. Paul police chief, he tackled some of the city’s most challenging problems, developing programs that significantly reduced domestic violence and gang involvement.
John is a doctoral student in the Administration of Justice, and joined MicroGrants & Lights On! as its CEO Executive Director in September 2023.
Johns other affiliations include Allina United Hospital, Inter Faith Action, Circus Juventas, MN Sports and Events, St. Paul Intervention, Battered Womens Justice Project, MN NOBLE and Ujamaa Place.
