A Message From Eden Prairie Mayor Ron Case

Press release from the City of Eden Prairie:

January 11, 2022

Eden Prairie Residents,

"People choose to live in Eden Prairie for many reasons. We have great public services, strong schools and a first-class park/trail system. But what I hear the most is “we feel safe.” Out of everything government does, public safety consistently ranks at the top.

That’s why the regional uptick in vehicle-related crime has received so much attention recently from local and state elected officials, and why yesterday the City of Eden Prairie hosted the Regional Council of Mayors monthly meeting, which included an extended session devoted to discussing a response to the increase in vehicle-related crimes across the region. The discussion stemmed from the gathering of southwest suburban mayors I convened in Eden Prairie Dec. 17, where the mayors of 5 cities jointly formalized our intentions to bring the conversation to a larger audience.

More than 100 people attended the extended meeting yesterday — including the mayors, police chiefs and city managers from nearly every city in Hennepin County, along with other representatives from many cities outside of the immediate region. The panel of speakers included Eden Prairie Police Chief Matt Sackett, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, Ramsey County Attorney John Choi, Minnesota State Commissioner of Corrections Paul Schnell, Hennepin County Sheriff Dave Hutchinson and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.

The discussion identified ideas to improve regional coordination, legislative changes to reduce juvenile crime and proposed changes to Hennepin County bail policies. County Attorney Mike Freeman also committed to building closer relationships with the county’s police chiefs.

The issue is extremely complex — one that cannot be solved by law enforcement or our judicial system alone. This important ongoing discussion must result in solutions that make us safer AND address the underlying elements of COVID isolation, structural inequalities and poverty. It cannot begin and end with more arrests, more jail time and more lifetime consequences.

I continue to be extremely proud of the leadership role that Eden Prairie has taken in convening the regional conversation to confront crime in general, and vehicle crimes in particular. I’ve often said that Eden Prairie is a shining example of a City that works, and works together. A recent example of this collaborative spirit culminated in a Race Equity Report that lays out a path forward to address societal inequities in our community. We could not excel but for our strong City Council, excellent staff and most of all, our incredible residents."

Sincerely,

Mayor Ron Case

This press release was produced by the City of Eden Prairie. The views expressed here are the author’s own.