Eden Prairie crime report: Assaults up, other violence down; property crimes drop, drug offenses rise

Violent crime and property crime in Eden Prairie saw an overall decline from 2021 to 2022. However, drug offenses and assaults increased, while assaults on police officers decreased.

This report relies on crime statistics that the Eden Prairie Police Department (EPPD) reported to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) and an interview with Eden Prairie Chief Matt Sackett. The BCA compiles uniform crime data submitted by Minnesota law enforcement agencies, including the EPPD, as mandated by law. Only the full calendar years of 2021 and 2022 have crime statistics from the BCA specific to Eden Prairie available.

The BCA categorizes crimes into three basic groups: crimes against persons, crimes against property, and crimes against society.

Crimes against persons include offenses where the victims are always individuals, such as homicide, rape, aggravated assault, and human trafficking.

Crimes against property involve intentions to obtain money, property, or other benefits, and include robbery, theft, larceny, burglary, fraud, embezzlement, extortion, blackmail, and motor vehicle theft.

Crimes against society involve legally prohibited activities that typically don’t involve individual victims or property, including drug and weapons offenses, gambling, and offenses related to pornography and prostitution.

Sackett said the increase in reported drug offenses is partly due to the department’s participation in the Southwest Hennepin Drug Task Force, which consists of members of the Eden Prairie, Edina, Minnetonka, Hopkins, and St. Louis Park police departments, as well as the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office.

He also said officers in the department proactively stop vehicles when they suspect occupants of drug violations.

The vast majority of crimes against persons occur in residences. While the largest number of crimes against property also occur in residences, a significant portion happen in public places such as parking garages, hotels, and shopping malls. The majority of crimes against society occur on public streets and sidewalks.

In crimes involving weapons, firearms are the most common, and the individual using them often owns them. A violent crime with an individual victim typically indicates a prior familial or romantic relationship between the offender and the victim. Theft of property frequently involves items taken from a motor vehicle.

“Post-COVID … criminals in the metro seem emboldened to do what they want,” Sackett said, adding, “All in all, we are holding our own here in Eden Prairie.”

He says the proactive approach taken by his officers, particularly in enforcing traffic laws, has a strong deterrent effect on crime in Eden Prairie. He also says that crimes committed by juvenile offenders, particularly car theft, need significant consequences; otherwise, “those crimes lead to more serious offenses down the road.”

Assaults against law enforcement officers

There were six assaults against Eden Prairie police officers in 2021. Four occurred during traffic stops or pursuits, one while investigating a suspicious person or circumstance, and one while handling a prisoner in custody. There were two assaults against law enforcement officers in 2022. One of those assaults occurred during a traffic stop or pursuit, and the other while handling a prisoner in custody.

None of the assaults resulted in a fatality. Of the assaults that occurred in 2021 and 2022, half involved using a weapon, while the other half involved using a vehicle.

Sackett said these were serious incidents, but fortunately, none have resulted in long-term injuries to the officers. He noted that the incidents are significant and are only reported when they involve “demonstrable physical harm to the officer.”

Sackett added that police actions are much more frequently questioned in the current environment. However, his officers work on their de-escalation skills and “try to explain why they are doing what they are doing whenever they can safely do so.”

Comparison with Edina and Minnetonka

No dramatic variations emerge when comparing Eden Prairie with its two most demographically similar neighbors, Edina and Minnetonka.

After adjusting for population differences, Eden Prairie appears to have more assaults and higher rates of drug and weapons violations, as well as damage-to-property or vandalism offenses. However, Edina and Minnetonka report more burglaries and motor vehicle thefts.

Sackett said that while Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, and Edina are distinct places, they are “similar-ish.” He noted, “Edina borders Minneapolis and has seen some of the spillover from Minneapolis.” Many crimes in Eden Prairie have connections across multiple jurisdictions.

“Just a few days ago,” Sackett said, “we were chasing suspects in a garage burglary in Eden Prairie who were driving a Maserati stolen in Anoka, and we caught them in Edina.” 

Crimes against persons      

Eden Prairie saw a small increase in assaults, from 157 in 2021 to 165 in 2022.

Simple assaults rose from 79 in 2021 to 91 in 2022, intimidation decreased from 61 to 49, and the more serious crime of aggravated assault increased from 17 to 25. Sex offenses decreased slightly from 28 in 2021 to 26 in 2022. Human trafficking and abduction dropped significantly, from 16 in 2021 to three in 2022. There was one homicide in 2021 and none in 2022.

Crimes against property    

Larceny and theft crimes decreased significantly, from 817 offenses reported in 2021 to 691 in 2022. Damage to property and vandalism also saw a dramatic drop, from 600 incidents in 2021 to 481 in 2022. Fraud offenses increased by 8 percent from 2021 to 2022. Motor vehicle thefts decreased from 68 in 2021 to 56 in 2022. Burglary incidents remained relatively stable, with 76 reported in 2021 and 77 in 2022. Forgery increased, with 29 incidents reported in 2021 and 36 in 2022.

The very serious crimes against property — such as extortion/blackmail, embezzlement, arson, and robbery — are rare in Eden Prairie, with incidents in the single digits reported each year.

Crimes against society

Drug/narcotic violations increased modestly from 269 incidents in 2021 to 278 in 2022. Weapons law violations decreased from 42 in 2021 to 38 in 2022. Pornography and obscene materials violations doubled from three incidents in 2021 to six in 2022.