Dear John,

It’s been a particularly difficult year for Minnesota’s public safety community. We experienced tremendous loss in Burnsville this February and our communities are still healing from this unthinkable tragedy.

There are truly no words to describe the void that the loss of an officer has on a community. We continue to grieve the losses of Burnsville Police Officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge and Firefighter/Paramedic Adam Finseth.
 
That day in February, a tactical vehicle, owned by the Rosemount Police Department, was a critical part of their response, shielding at least two officers inside the vehicle and eight more hiding around it from harm as they responded to the emergency.
 
It's hard to fathom what more could have happened if our first responders did not have access to the tactical vehicle they needed that day. In emergency situations, every second counts, and we must make sure our local law enforcement agencies have every tool at their disposal to stay safe while they protect our communities.
 
That’s why I introduced the Protect Local Law Enforcement Act, which would allow law enforcement to purchase tactical vehicles, like the BearCat used in Burnsville, with federal funds.
 
Currently, there is an extensive approval process to purchase vehicles such as these, and once purchased, they can only be used for their certified purpose. My bill would ease these restrictions and help ensure law enforcement agencies can access the equipment they need to keep themselves and their communities safe – and I'm working hard to get it over the finish line.

This year, I announced over $13 million in federal funding to support public safety agencies across Minnesota’s Second District. I’m proud to have worked with so many local leaders to secure the funding to make these investments possible and I’ll keep working across the aisle to get our first responders the support they need.
 
In April, I worked with Lakeville Mayor Luke Hellier and Police Chief Brad Paulson to secure $800,000 to help build a new public safety training facility in Lakeville and ensure our law enforcement officers and first responders are well-equipped with the training they need.
 
I also worked with U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar and Dakota County law enforcement to secure $963,000 to create a new state-of-the-art records management system to improve efficiency and accuracy of information sharing between Minnesota’s law enforcement agencies.
 
In May, I worked with Farmington Mayor Joshua Hoyt and Police Chief Gary Rutherford to secure $869,000 in federal funding to strengthen the security of the Farmington Police Department.
 
I worked beside Woodbury Mayor Anne Burt and Police Chief Jason Posel to secure $670,000 in funding to replace the department’s aging cameras with new, up-to-date technology. These brand-new cameras will keep our law enforcement officers safe and increase transparency in our criminal justice process.

This September, I announced $1.1 million in federal funding to hire six new officers in Apple Valley, Inver Grove Heights and Newport, strengthen mental health resources for law enforcement officers in West St. Paul and bolster the Minnesota Police Chiefs Association accreditation program.
 
Later that month, I shared that I secured $8.9 million to hire 23 additional firefighters in the Lakeville and South Metro Fire Departments. This federal funding will ensure our local fire departments have the necessary staff to grow and safely respond to emergency situations.
 
I’ve had the privilege to work with so many local leaders and public safety officers this year and I look forward to continuing our partnership as we work together to ensure Minnesota’s public safety departments have the resources and support they need to keep our communities safe.

Here’s what else I was up to this week:

Expanding access to affordable health care
On Tuesday, I met with Medical Alley in DC to discuss how we can work together to expand access to affordable health care for folks in Minnesota and across the country.

Nominating this year’s U.S. Service Academy applicants
Last weekend, my office held nomination interviews for Service Academy applicants from Minnesota's Second District. Thank you to everyone who participated in the process and wishing the very best to all applicants!

Behind the Scenes with Rep. Craig:

This week I attended the White House Holiday Ball with my wife Cheryl. It was a great way to kick off the holidays!

I’ll be back in D.C. next week for the last votes of the 118^th Congress, and I look forward to continuing my work to bring home the bipartisan solutions that our Second District communities need.

Wishing you all a great weekend!

Until next time,
 

Angie Craig

Member of Congress