Nearly one-fourth of the population of Minnesota lives in Hennepin County, which includes Minneapolis and its western metropolitan area. It is home to the Hennepin County Government Center (HCGC), the seat of both the county government and the state’s Fourth Judicial District. The HCGC also houses the County Board of Commissioners, county administration, most of the District Court operations, and many county services for the general public.

Located in the HCGC, the SOC is the county’s critical alarm monitoring and emergency communications center and an integral part of Hennepin County’s Property Services Security Division. The SOC is responsible for ensuring the safety of county employees and visitors and the security of county properties.