Gun Safety in SLP
- Sarah Steffen
- Nov 24, 2025
- 3 min read
Guns and Community Safety
We take community safety very seriously. Our campaign has been in contact with Bryan Kruelle, Chief of Police, City of St. Louis Park, regarding gun safety. Here is what he shared:
State law does not allow cities to regulate firearms, ammunition, or their components. This is the preemption law. The approach in SLP (around 2018) was mainly from a zoning perspective… Some of the actions taken during that period included:
Prohibiting the rental of city facilities for gun shows. – City policy adopted on 10/15/18, Resolution No. 18-170
Disallowing licensed firearm dealers from selling inside their homes – controlled through zoning. Ordinance no. 2562-19 was adopted in June 2019 to prohibit firearm sales as home occupations.
In terms of enforcement-related activities our officers encounter most often, they tend to be associated with individuals carrying a pistol without a permit ( MN Statute 624.714), and a prohibited person in possession of a pistol or ammunition (MN Statute 624.713). Those are the two most frequent requests for charges we submit to the city or county attorney’s office in this area.
What if the preemption law is updated?
The preemption law, first passed in the 1980s, prohibits municipalities from passing local ordinances that conflict with statewide firearms regulations. A coalition of city leaders, including the mayors of Minnesota's four largest cities, is lobbying for a change to state law that would allow local municipalities to set their own gun regulations. How should SLP respond if this law is updated?
St. Louis Park's State-Level Legislative Priorities for 2026
Legislative positions guide SLP's government relations work. Each year, the Council reviews the list of positions and priorities. Council members submitted the below policy topics for consideration as part of the city's 2026 Legislative Priorities. At the November 17 Study Session meeting, Council members asked City Staff and lobbyists to clarify the language in the Gun safety ordinances section to clearly support changing the Preemption Law and granting cities more control over local gun ordinances.
Edina City Council Response
On Nov. 18, 2025, the Edina City Council considered Ordinance No. 2025-17: Amending Chapter 22 of the Edina City Code to Create a New Article XI Concerning Firearms. This ordinance was modeled after the St. Paul city ordinance, as requested by the City Council. It would be unenforceable until such a time as if/when the State preemption law is lifted. The Edina City Attorney stated that he would be happy to defend this ordinance in court, should it come under scrutiny.
Though the Council all seemed to want to make a statement on gun safety, they were unconvinced that the proposed, currently unenforceable, ordinance was the best way forward. Council Member Jackson spoke candidly about her conversations with State Senator Ron Latz, who urged the Edina Council to send the strongest message possible. Council Member Pierce was interested in creating two new ordinances, one that could be enacted immediately, and would hold up under current state law, as well as the secondary, currently unenforceable, ordinance currently being discussed. The City Attorney explained that other than discharge rules, which Edina already has in place, firearm regulations by municipalities are currently prohibited. So, there would not be much, or maybe anything, that they could do for an immediately enforceable firearm regulation ordinance.
Ultimately, only Council Member Agnew was fully supportive of the ordinance on the table, Ordinance No. 2025-17. Member Jackson wants to take action, but requested a public hearing before she would fully support the ordinance. Mayor Hovland was supportive of the idea of a public hearing on the topic. Member Pierce was still interested in other, more immediate, actions that the Council could take. You can watch the full discussion from the Edina City Council Meeting on Nov. 18, 2025 starting at 2:15:45 to 3:19:30. It will be interesting to see what comes next in this discussion.
From the Campaign Trail
We are proud to have been a Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate for 2025. We will continue to advocate for ways to make our community safer for all.
Community Resources for Gun Safety
Where to access a FREE gun safe lock:
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Yours in service,
Sarah
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