Days before the unthinkable unfolded at a Madison school, a local police department spent time with students they work with at school to strengthen their relationships and be better prepared for an emergency. 

“This is something that our officers, or really anybody in public safety, thinks about every day,” Chief Erik Fadden of the Plymouth Police Department (PDD) said about school shootings. 

“Which gives us pause to really make sure that we are invested in every way we can,” Chief Fadden said. 

Part of that includes connecting with students — last week, Chief Fadden said officers from his department, including the school resource officers, were part of a “school safety summit” with Robbinsdale Area Schools (RAS) students. 

During its board meeting on Monday, RAS superintendent Dr. Teri Staloch reflected on the summit briefly, sharing that 50 students were part of it. 

“This collaborative event focused on reviewing and enhancing our school safety protocols, emergency preparedness, supporting student wellbeing, and empowering student leadership,” Dr. Staloch said at the meeting. 

Spotting warning signs is also a crucial part of being prepared, Chief Fadden adds. 

“We just recently had officers attend an additional risk assessment training,” Chief Fadden said. 

“It’s just keeping us on the cutting edge of best practices when it comes [a] school environment, you know, assessing and looking for factors that might lead to [something] to be aware of. There are rarely any of these after the fact that there wasn’t some sort of indicator,” Fadden said. 

As for families, he says free gun locks are always available. 

“There’s not one magic thing that we can do to make all these things better,” Fadden added about everyone doing their part. 

On Tuesday, Bloomington Public Schools sent a message to families, warning them ahead of the holiday break about safety checks to do at home. 

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

We hope your family is gearing up for a season of rest, connection, and celebration. The upcoming winter break is a time to pause and reflect on what matters most – our loved ones and their well-being. In light of yesterday’s news of another school shooting, and with students spending more time at home during the break, this is a great opportunity to check in on home safety practices, including safe firearm storage for families who own firearms. 

Taking a few simple precautions can make a big difference in protecting children and teens from avoidable risks. Here are key tips for responsible firearm storage:

• Lock it Up: Use a gun safe, lockbox, or other secure storage device.
• Unload Firearms Before Storing: Ensure all firearms are unloaded.
• Store Ammunition Separately: Keep ammunition in a separate, locked location.
• Use Safety Devices: Consider cable or trigger locks for additional security.

For resources on safe gun storage or affordable safety devices, Everytown’s Be SMART for Kids and Child Safe offer guidance and support.

Thank you for being a partner in keeping your children and our school community safe. We wish you and your family a wonderful and peaceful winter break.

Rick J. Kaufman, APR
Executive Director of Community Relations and
Emergency Management