Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPR) aka  “FLOCK”

An ongoing public safety concern for Fridley residents is the use of ALPR technology across the area. Contracts we have with our ALPR platform provider have resident’s  information cause concern for mass surveillance, data sharing, and long term implications of rapidly changing technology. ALPR technology is part of a larger concern about AI, data centers, and the impact that these new technologies have on our local and regional environments, clean and safe drinking water, and pollution. We have seen neighboring communities pause ALPR platform contracts. I intend to engage in a deep critical review with strong emphasis on counter perspective to law enforcement opinion including robust public engagement.

Operation Metro Surge/Federal Immigration Enforcement

Operation Metro Surge highlighted the fracture in our community in which city leadership feels public safety is responsive and all encompassing. Meanwhile, community members felt unseen, unprotected, and left behind. I am committed to engaging in policies that view public safety not simply as a police and fire department but as a wraparound approach that centers community first. We saw the strength in hyperlocal organizing and the way that neighbors can keep neighbors safe when community is strong and united. The city requires strong partnerships with our local schools, religious organizations, and local businesses with proactive outreach to expand what safety in Fridley can look like. We need to be principled in our values and take a stance that ICE does not belong in our city by creating a separation agreement to re-instill trust in our residents that our city can take care of itself.

Safe Streets for All, Safe Routes to School

As a Fridley Resident shared with me, "I want my kid playing safely on the streets or in the yard and not worry about them being hit by a car. But I can't do that if our streets aren’t safe from speeding cars and they can’t be protected on sidewalks."

• • • This sentiment is not isolated to one community member. Like many parents of young kids, teenagers walking to school, and seniors in our community, residents face daily hazards navigating our neighborhoods. As a family that lives on the east side of University but is zoned for Stevenson Elementary on the west side of East River Road, getting to school for my children means crossing two major highways and navigating the closed down old NorthStar tunnel . Without dedicated, protected infrastructure, this commute is simply too dangerous for a child on a bike. We share concerns with our neighbors in Ward 3 who have reduced access to grocery stores, public transportation, and education.

  • People often romanticize "the way things used to be"—a time when kids could play outside without worry. While my family benefits from being on a corner street with one side that is quiet and slow, we see the harmful effects of our cross street being busy and unsafe. My children will not know learning to ride their bikes on that road or walking to the neighbors without a grown up helping them cross. We can bring that peace of mind back, but it requires modern solutions to modern traffic.  This issue does not just impact young families. Fridley has a vibrant, aging senior population. Right now, neighbors with walkers and wheelchairs are forced onto the blacktop, dodging traffic due to a lack of sidewalks, proper curbs, and painted pedestrian crosswalks. We must slow motorized vehicles, increase sidewalks, and prioritize winter clearing of snow and ice on these pathways.

Community Engagement & Equity: A Fridley For Everyone

A thriving city is one where every voice is heard, every resident is valued, and every community member has the tools to succeed. As your representative, I am committed to building a Fridley that actively works to dismantle barriers and ensures government works for all of us.

• Establishing a Clear Equity Statement Fridley needs an official Equity Statement that aligns directly with our city's core mission and values. This isn't just about words on a page—it’s a formal, binding commitment to identify, reduce, and fix systemic inequities across our community.

• Adopting an Equity Assessment Tool Good intentions aren't enough; we need accountability. I will push for the implementation of an Equity Tool such as a structured framework used by the City Council, city manager, and city staff to evaluate the impact of every major policy, budget, and decision before it is passed.

• Breaking Down Language Barriers Right now, our city information is only going out in English with requests to contact if there are other languages needed. We must modernize and overhaul how Fridley provides language services and communicates information so that vital city information is accessible to everyone.

• Aligning Our Long-Term Vision Fridley’s comprehensive long-term strategic plan charts our city's future for decades to come. This roadmap needs to be reviewed through an equity lens advocating that our long-term goals support, protect, and uplift every single neighborhood and resident as our city grows.

• Creating an Equity Commission True progress comes from the ground up. I want to solicit direct community feedback on establishing a formal Equity Commission—giving Fridley residents a dedicated, structured seat at the table to advise city leadership on diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.