To the Editor:

It was deeply disappointing to hear what our City Council had to say about a separation ordinance in St. Louis Park.

I am disheartened to know that, despite the last few months and an escalating state of crisis throughout the world, our council feels comfortable with the status quo.

I believe the mayor was misguided in saying, “The work that needs to be done at the federal government and state government, the local governments are being asked to do” (“Operation Metro Surge left broken trust in St. Louis Park,” April 16).

To me, this feels like an abdication of responsibility. The response to the attack our government is conducting on our neighbors and homes must come from all levels of government.

Anything less is leaving the door open for fascism to worm its way from the federal government into our local institutions. If that happens, the rot will be terminal. To weather these times, our political leaders must be willing to take bold action that challenges traditional authority. We cannot leave the door open for a future city government to collaborate with a federal government that seeks to do us harm.

The world we live in does not die with Trump. This will not be the last time federal law enforcement will be used in this way. To believe otherwise is naïve. A separation ordinance is a small part of a wider series of actions that must be taken to maintain the safety of all residents, now and in the future. No one policy will solve every issue, but a series of policies implemented throughout a group of municipalities can make a difference.

We must demonstrate solidarity with our neighbors in Minneapolis, Golden Valley, St. Paul, Robbinsdale and Burnsville and enact a separation ordinance to ensure our police stay our police.

The work is not over.

Derek Fradenburgh
St. Louis Park

Published in the St. Louis Park + Hopkins Sun Sailor on April 23, 2026