Lawrence believes he can be an asset to the Council

Being a lifelong resident of Hastings, I want to make a difference in the city that I call home. As a police officer, I understand how important it is to consider all sides of an issue before making a decision. With over 10 years of law enforcement experience, I’ve learned that service is about who I serve and why I serve.”

Timothy Lawrence, Hastings Ward 4 City Council Member

Lawrence will serve the remainder of Lund’s term, which expires Dec. 31, 2024.

Lawrence was named supervisor of the year by Metro Transit Police in 2020 and was the 2017 Officer of the Year.

Lifelong Hastings resident Timothy A. Lawrence was selected from seven candidates to fill the Ward 4 seat on the Hastings City Council.

The city council held two nights of interviews and meetings last week prior to selecting Lawrence to fill the seat vacated by Trevor Lund, who resigned effective July 11 because of family obligations. Lawrence will serve the remainder of Lund’s term, which expires Dec. 31, 2024. In addition to Lawrence, applications for the position were received by Adam Amer, Ian Martin, Dennis Millerbernd, Gary Stevens, Mark Vaughan and Scott Zuzek.

Lawrence will take the oath of office at the Monday, Aug. 7 city council meeting.

Lawrence is a sergeant with the Metro Transit Police Department in Minneapolis. He started at the department as a police officer in 2012 and was promoted to sergeant in 2018. He has also served in the Hastings Police Reserves. He was named supervisor of the year by Metro Transit Police in 2020 and was the 2017 Officer of the Year.

He told the city he believes he can be an asset to the city council.

“Being a lifelong resident of Hastings, I want to make a difference in the city that I call home. As a police officer, I understand how important it is to consider all sides of an issue before making a decision. With over 10 years of law enforcement experience, I’ve learned that service is about who I serve and why I serve,” he wrote on his application for the position. “My wife and I have established relationships in our neighborhood, and I know I will represent the perspectives of the residents in Ward 4. I believe I am an excellent candidate for this position, and I hope to represent my community and my ward well.”

Lawrence has spent time volunteering coaching Minneapolis North football.

“I learned so much about the community that I service. This and other experiences have made me open minded and diplomatic in difficult situations,” he said.

He also served on the Metro Transit Homeless Action Team.

“I have also assisted with developing a program that helped unsheltered individuals find housing, shelter and survival gear. I learned in that process that not everyone is looking for the same thing and that people are at different points in their lives,” his application states. “I will bring strong negotiation skills to the table in discussions and challenging situations as a member of the city council. I will also bring a unique perspective regarding public safety and law. I want to bring the things I’ve learned back to the community I live in and am raising my family in.”
The biggest issue he sees facing Hastings is coping with growth.

“Having lived in Hastings for over 40 years, I see the major issue has been and continues to be how we adapt to growth and the changes that come with it. Hastings has the feel of a small town and the changes that come with growth are not something we need to be afraid of as a community. We need to make sure that our community remains family friendly and affordable. I know the challenges that come with homelessness, and we have the opportunity to assist locally,” he wrote. “I believe we can be mindful about how to address big city concerns in a small-town suburb and believe we are a batter place when we work together. I would like to help build community among multicultural citizenship. Hastings is become a dynamic and diverse community, and we need to support small business to reflect this.”