“We’re Stuck in the Middle”: Apple Valley Police Chief Speaks on State-Federal Tensions and the Impacts on Minnesota Communities
APPLE VALLEY, MINNESOTA — As communities across Minnesota continue to navigate a period of heightened stress and uncertainty, Apple Valley Police Chief Nick Francis issued the following statement on the Apple Valley Police Facebook page Monday afternoon, January 19, 2026, addressing the emotional toll facing residents and law enforcement alike. Drawing on more than two decades in public safety, Francis shared his perspective on the current climate, the challenges communities face, and the importance of stability, support, and leadership in this moment.
“If you live in Minnesota and are reading this today, there’s a good chance you’re not feeling quite like yourself. The past month has tested all of us in ways we never expected. There’s no need to revisit every detail of what has unfolded in our state, as most of us are carrying those moments with us already. What matters is the shared truth: our communities are strained, our patience is thin, and the ongoing battle between the federal and state levels have placed Minnesotans, especially law enforcement officers, in an extraordinarily difficult position.
As a police chief in the metro area, I’ve spent the last two weeks in back-to-back conversations with fellow chiefs, officers, community leaders, school administrators, elected officials, and worried residents. In every meeting, someone inevitably asks what my department is going through. And each time, I find myself searching for the right words.
Explaining what we’re experiencing isn’t simple, because it’s not just operational, it’s emotional. It’s about where we stand as a department and how this moment feels from the inside. And I know many other police chiefs are trying to explain it as well. I’ve finally found the clearest way to describe what this moment feels like: we are trapped in a bitter divorce. I hesitated for weeks before using that comparison, but the truth is unavoidable.
After more than 25 years in law enforcement, I’ve responded to countless domestic disputes, custody battles, and painful breakups. The patterns I’ve seen in those homes—the manipulation, the fear, the emotional whiplash—are now playing out publicly on our televisions, radios, and social media feeds.
Our federal and state leaders are locked in open conflict, and the rest of us are caught squarely in the middle. Their language toward each other grows more demeaning by the day. Like parents in a bitter fight, each is trying to convince us to choose them, to believe they are the only one who can keep us safe. They point fingers, highlight each other’s perceived failures, and insist that the other side is the real danger. And here we are, watching the ugliest argument our “parents” have ever had, helpless to stop it and forced to absorb every blow.
And just like children trapped between feuding adults, Minnesotans are feeling scared, confused, and powerless. We’re closing businesses. We’re shifting schools to remote learning. We’re rearranging our daily lives because we no longer know who to trust or who is actually looking out for us. It’s an impossible position, and the vast majority of people in this state are stuck in the middle of a fight they never asked for.
So the question I keep coming back to is simple: what can I do about it?
Sadly, the best guidance I can offer is the same advice officers have given people trapped in emotional separations or custody disputes for decades:
1. Don’t isolate yourself. Many others are feeling the same strain. Stay connected to family, friends, and neighbors. Share how you’re doing, ask how they’re coping, and support one another through the uncertainty.
2. Have a safety plan. Know your limits. Recognize when stress or fear is pushing you toward a breaking point. Think about what your family needs to stay healthy, grounded, and safe.
3. Reach out for help and resources. Whether it’s food support, mental-health services, or spiritual guidance, our communities are full of organizations ready to help you, your loved ones, or your neighbors meet basic needs.
4. Decide what makes you feel safer. That might mean stepping away from the news cycle, taking time off, or seeking professional support. This kind of emotional strain takes a toll, and only you can determine what brings you back to a place of stability.
As difficult as it is to admit, the same advice we give children caught in a volatile household may be what helps all of us navigate the turmoil we’re living through. At some point, something has to change. Our federal and state leaders need to stop fighting long enough to remember who they serve and what their responsibility is. I can’t predict when that shift will happen, but I know it’s the outcome my community is hoping for.
Residents in Apple Valley and across the entire state are looking for relief, clarity, and leadership. We depend on our state and federal elected officials to provide it. It’s time for them to set aside the conflict and start taking care of their kids.
We’re ready for the fighting to end. We’re ready for real leadership from those at the federal and state levels. As the police chief of Apple Valley, I see every day how much our community depends on stability, clarity, and genuine care. My department will continue to serve, to answer every call, to remain unbiased, and to navigate the difficult space between conflicting directives. But it’s time for our state and federal leaders to rise above the conflict so the Apple Valley community and people of Minnesota are no longer the ones stuck in the middle.”
Nick Francis
Apple Valley Police Chief
