Maple Grove, MN — Giovanni Veliz is the first immigrant police lieutenant in the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) and the former executive director of the Police Activities League. He is keenly aware of the challenges police departments have in building relationships with youth and communities of color, and is focused on juvenile outreach. Now, with his Bush Fellowship, he will deepen the strategic skills he needs to design solutions for improving youth health, development and leadership, and for enhancing the cultural competency of MPD officers. He will enroll in executive education programs at the Harvard Kennedy School and other educational institutions.
