With more than three decades of experience, John Bandemer has dedicated his career to keeping the City of Saint Paul safe. As director of safety strategies for the Saint Paul Downtown Alliance, John oversees a team of street ambassadors and staff who act as conveners for the social service providers, private building security teams and Saint Paul Police Department when it comes to responding to and communicating about issues that arise within the Saint Paul Downtown Improvement District (SPDID).
John directs the Safety Communications Center, which brings together public safety agencies and private security teams to track and share data, communicate issues, and develop innovative solutions to public safety within the SPDID. The Safety Communications Center is a key initiative of SPDID, which was formed by the Downtown Alliance and property owners in the district.
In 2025 John was recognized by the International Downtown Association as an industry leader in effective safe and clean programs for urban place management organizations (UPMO) and asked to participate in the drafting of a published brief highlighting effective partnerships between UPMO’s and law enforcement as an essential component to transforming downtowns after the Covid epidemic.

Prior to working at the Downtown Alliance, John was senior commander, chief of staff and executive officer to the Police Chief. Over the course of his career, he served in multiple districts and specialized units and coordinated a multi-agency task force to combat human trafficking in the region. He holds a B.S. degree in Criminal Justice from Bemidji State University and is a graduate of the 247th session of the FBI National Academy.

Kris has served as General Manager of the Saint Paul Downtown Improvement District since November 2024, bringing nearly two decades of leadership experience in urban place management, safety and hospitality operations. Prior to working in downtown Saint Paul, he held senior roles with Block by Block in Houston, Hollywood, Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, where he led large-scale programs focused on public safety, cleaning and quality-of-life services, managing teams of up to 120 employees.

Known for aligning operational performance with stakeholder needs, Kris has a strong track record in program development, team leadership, business development and client relations. His work has included launching new service models, expanding programs through successful bids and building high-performing teams with strong retention. He has received multiple industry and civic awards recognizing his contributions to public safety and service excellence.