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Residents press Maple Grove Council for action as ICE presence alarms neighborhoods; police chief outlines response
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Summary
Residents urged Maple Grove leaders to act after reports of unmarked federal agents near schools and hotels; Police Chief Eric Werner said he’s coordinating with federal partners, affirmed complaint channels and said LRAD was used in speaker mode during an unlawful assembly at a hotel.
Residents and legal observers pressed the Maple Grove City Council on Feb. 2 to address repeated federal immigration‑enforcement activity they say has left families and witnesses fearful, while the city’s police chief described steps taken to improve coordination and accountability.
Several residents told the council they had seen unmarked vehicles, officers without visible identification and aggressive tactics near schools and hotels. "I feared for what could have happened to my wife if she had been boxed in," said Brandon Reimers, a legal observer who asked not to be publicly identified at the meeting. He urged the Police Chief to confirm that officers will respond promptly when observers report threats.
Police Chief Eric Werner said federal agencies have lawful authority to operate but that local leaders and law enforcement associations have been pressing for clearer accountability. "I have direct communication with the director of the ICE field office and the special agent in charge of HSI to report any allegations of potential misconduct," Werner said. He said those offices have staff assigned to investigate complaints and that he will continue to forward community concerns.
Werner also addressed use of a Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) during a recent protest near a SpringHill Suites. He said Minnesota State Patrol personnel used the device "in the loudspeaker mode" to broadcast a dispersal order after the event was deemed an unlawful assembly due to property damage and objects thrown at officers. "It was used as a loudspeaker and not as the deterrent function reported in some media," Werner said.
Residents at the meeting described a broader, cumulative effect: businesses reducing hours, children afraid to attend school and a chilling effect on public life. Public commenters asked the council to prohibit federal agencies from staging operations on city property, establish clear local protocols for officer responses to third‑party 911 calls, and press state and federal leaders for accountability.
Mayor Mark Steffenson and councilmembers acknowledged the concerns and heard the Police Chief’s report that dispatch notifications and interagency communications have improved. Werner said he would reaffirm with the county dispatch center that officers are sent for 911 calls requesting assistance.
The council did not adopt a formal resolution or ordinance addressing federal enforcement at the Feb. 2 meeting; public comment closed with a commitment from the chief to continue coordination and from the city to pass community concerns to federal and state contacts. The council’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 17.