The Police Department and Eden Prairie Schools are jointly reaffirming our shared commitment to keeping students, families and our entire community safe by releasing the following joint message with important information about safe firearms storage.

As part of this effort, the EPPD is also reminding residents that free gun locks are available at the Police Department during business hours, thanks to our participation in the Be SMART program. These locks are a simple, effective tool to help ensure firearms are stored securely and cannot be fired by children or unauthorized users.

Dear Eden Prairie families,

As our Twin Cities community continues to reflect on the senseless act of gun violence at Annunciation Church and School this fall, city and school district leaders in Eden Prairie continue to prioritize the safety of children in our community. We’re writing today to share an important message about proper gun storage and safety.

Each year, nearly 360 children in the United States under the age of 18 gain access to a firearm and unintentionally injure themselves or someone else. And in 2021, more than 1,700 guns were stolen across Minnesota. When guns are not properly stored, it can lead to tragedy — whether that means a child finds a firearm and shoots or kills themselves (intentionally or unintentionally), or someone steals a gun and uses it to commit a crime.

Secure gun storage is an important step you can take to help protect your family, school and our entire Eden Prairie community. Be SMART is a national campaign that promotes responsible gun ownership in order to reduce child gun deaths, and we encourage you to be SMART in your home.

• Secure all guns in your homes and vehicles
• Model responsible behavior around guns
• Ask about unsecured guns in other homes
• Recognize the role of guns in suicide
• Tell your peers to Be SMART

Research shows that secure storage reduces the risk of gun violence, and preventing children from accessing unsecured firearms is required by Minnesota law. Under Minnesota Statute Section 609.666, “a person is guilty of a gross misdemeanor who negligently stores or leaves a loaded firearm in a location where the person knows, or reasonably should know, that a child is likely to gain access, unless reasonable action is taken to secure the firearm against access by the child.”

You can learn more, watch videos and access resources and materials at besmartforkids.org. Free gun locks are also available at the Police Department during business hours, thanks to our City’s participation in the Be SMART program, and at several nearby libraries. These locks are a simple, effective tool to help ensure firearms are stored securely and cannot be fired by children or unauthorized users.

Thank you for partnering with us to keep our kids, schools and community safe.

Matt Sackett
Chief of Police, Eden Prairie Police Department

Dr. Josh Swanson
Superintendent, Eden Prairie Schools