Fridley Mayor David Ostwald issued a statement on Facebook addressing recent immigration enforcement activity in the city, saying residents deserve to feel safe and assuring that city services — including policing — will be provided without discrimination.
Ostwald said that he had been having conversations with people in the community over the past several weeks, and that they had reinforced that Fridley was a community that cared deeply for one another.
“People deserve to feel safe and know that their neighbors are protected,” Ostwald said.
Ostwald said that the city did not control federal immigration operations, and also could not prevent their actions, but could control how their city operated. He added that the city’s police department would serve the community fairly without discrimination.
“I have complete faith in Public Safety Director Ryan George and every member of our Fridley Police Department,” Ostwald said. “They have built trust within the community over decades through professionalism, responsiveness and commitment to treating everyone with respect and dignity. That will not change.”
Ostwald emphasized that everyone in Fridley was a valued member of the community, and also encouraged residents to call 9-1-1 for help, or, with concerns, call city hall or individual elected officials.
“Your value is not dependent on how long you have lived here, where you were born or your immigration status,” Ostwald said. “The city of Fridley is here to serve you. Our police department is here to provide impartial public safety services, regardless of immigration status. Our city staff are here to support you.”