St. Paul Police To Increase School Presence After Annunciation Church Shooting
ST. PAUL, Minn. — With the school year about to begin, the St. Paul Police Department announced it will provide an increased presence outside every public and private school in the district, a move intended to bolster security and ease concerns following last week’s Annunciation Catholic Church shooting.
Families Prepare For School Year Amid Anxiety
For many Twin Cities families, the excitement of back-to-school is mixed with new unease.
“We’re excited for her to have another year with familiar faces returning, and a familiar teacher whom she’s had last year as well,” said parent Kaitlin Bornhoft, who will send her daughter Juliette to kindergarten this week. “We’re entrusting that she’ll be safe with the wonderful educators and the folks that will be there.”
The reassurance comes as both Minneapolis and St. Paul take steps to increase law enforcement visibility at schools and churches. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey confirmed his city has partnered with more than a dozen agencies to schedule hundreds of extra patrol shifts.
St. Paul Police: A Show Of Support
Deputy Chief Kurt Hallstrom of the St. Paul Police Department detailed the initiative in a letter to school leaders, pledging officer presence at campuses throughout the district.
“It’s just something that we can do that costs us nothing and shows that we are standing shoulder to shoulder with the people that are trying to keep our kids safe and have a good school year,” Hallstrom said.
District security leader Marcus Sullivan praised the outreach, noting that police leadership personally contacted the superintendent to ask how they could help. So far, no school has declined the assistance.
Peace Of Mind For Parents
While Hallstrom noted officers won’t be able to staff every school for all four days of the week, parents said the gesture still matters.
“It’s assuring in the sense that it feels there’s extra eyes. It’s sad to think that there needs to be those extra eyes, but I’m grateful that they’re taking it seriously to offer any assurance that they can,” Bornhoft added.
Juliette, her daughter, begins her school year in St. Paul on Thursday.
Broader Context
The move comes as communities across Minnesota continue to process the shock of the Annunciation Catholic Church shooting, which has raised concerns about safety at schools and places of worship. Officials in both Minneapolis and St. Paul say these temporary patrols are part of a broader strategy to provide reassurance and visibility at a sensitive time.
For updates on community safety measures and back-to-school security across Minnesota and the Midwest, follow ChicagoMusicGuide.com.