ICE use of the HERO Center on Ravine Parkway has come under critique, resulting in statements from both Mayor Myron Bailey and the city. First contracted in 2020, the contract for ICE use of the HERO Center was renewed last summer, facing criticism at the time. The contract allows ICE to use the HERO Center for training exercises, one of several agencies that do.
Located at 10125 85th Street South off Keats Avenue, the HERO Center is a joint project between the cities of Cottage Grove and Woodbury, and state of the art training facility, hosting law enforcement, fire and EMS training, as well as a shooting range, open to the public on weekends. Training facilities for law enforcement at the HERO Center includes a 12-lane gun range, MATS room, classrooms, indoor reality based trainman, outdoor houses, and a training simulator. HERO stands for Health and Emergency Response Occupations Center, overseen by a facilities operations committee board composed of both Woodbury and Cottage Grove staff.
Several community members spoke in public comment at the Jan. 21 council meeting asking the city to address the matter of ICE use of the HERO Center, asking the city to address the matter.
Cottage Grove Mayor Myron Bailey later put a statement to social media last week on ICE and the HERO Center.
“I want to start off by saying that the current events have left many in our community and around the state feeling scared, angry, and confused. The strain and tension can be felt personally, in families, in businesses and in our community. Cottage Grove is not immune to the pain our state is currently experiencing.
There are families and loved ones of Renee Good, Alex Pretti, and so many others who are grieving and who are traumatized at the loss of a loved one. Communities across the state, the country, and right here in Cottage Grove are angry and hurting. We want answers.
To our residents, know that I share your concerns for overall community safety that people have shared, regardless of political ideologies or opinions.
At the end of the day, everyone’s safety is paramount. As a city we are committed to responding when you call for help.
Some concerns about the HERO Center have also come to my attention and I wanted to clarify a couple things about what I know and what our local police department’s role is and what it isn’t. I recognize, again, that there is a great deal of fear and concern right now, and as a result, I feel an obligation to provide information to hopefully clarify and address a few things.

On the HERO Center:
The HERO Center is jointly owned by the Cities of Cottage Grove and Woodbury.
It is operated by its own staff, director, and governed by a Facility Operations Committee (FOC).
It was constructed with a combination of funding from both cities, as well as bonding dollars from the State of Minnesota.
While co-owned by the Cities of Cottage Grove and Woodbury, the HERO Center was always intended to be a regional public safety training facility serving multiple agencies and communities. The facility received $9.5 million in state bonding to construct the facility in large part because of its regional benefit.
The agreement in place to receive that funding requires that the HERO Center be available to local, state, and federal agencies. Contractually we cannot discriminate against any public agency.
While Cottage Grove and Woodbury public safety personnel have priority for using the HERO Center, the facility also rents the space to approximately 60 other federal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies, and other groups.
The agreement with ICE originated more than five years ago and was recently renewed by the FOC in the summer of 2025. It is important to note that Cottage Grove police do not proactively collaborate with ICE, nor do they have any involvement in their training curriculum.
Alterations from the aforementioned agreements could result in the repayment of state bonding money from the Cities of Cottage Grove and Woodbury back to the State of Minnesota. That money was spent during construction of the facility years ago.

On the role of local law enforcement:
By law, Cottage Grove police only enforce state and local laws, not federal immigration laws. It is the responsibility of the federal government to enforce federal immigration laws. Cottage Grove police are not notified of federal operations. Cottage Grove police do not have the ability to check someone’s legal status and will not participate in federal immigration enforcement activity in our community.
Cottage Grove Police are here to serve everyone in our community. People in our community should not be afraid to call 911 when they are a victim of a crime or witness a crime, even if they are undocumented. The
Cottage Grove Police Department’s job is to protect and serve everyone in the community and to keep everyone safe.
To the community, I hear your concerns. We are working with our elected officials on both sides of the aisle to bring calm and peace to this situation and to see the protection and ideals of the United States Constitution upheld and enforced.
We are proud Minnesotans who stand beside our neighbors, support one another and care for the good of our community. Continue to support one another in the community at this time.”

Baileys’ statement was followed with a condensed one on the city’s Facebook account.
“We’ve heard from people with questions about the HERO training center - and we understand your concerns.
“To provide clarity and shared context, we wanted to address these concerns here, on Facebook, especially for our followers who live in, work in, and visit our city.
“The center is co-owned by the Cities of Cottage Grove and Woodbury and is governed by a Facility Operations Committee (FOC). Is is used by our firefighters, police officers, and other first responders for training. Neither the city of Cottage Grove or Woodbury coordinates the training curriculum or scheduled used. By local, state, and national public agencies.
“When the training center was built, state bonding funds were used with contractual requirements that allows other government agencies to use the facility when it’s available. Breaking that contract could trigger a requirement for Cottage Grove and Woodbury to repay millions of dollars to the State of Minnesota.
“This is a complex situation, with legal and significant financial obligations for our city.
“The agreement in question originated more than five years ago and was recently renewed in the summer of 2025.
“Nonetheless, given the changing circumstances, we are exploring all available options to address the situation moving forward.
“We hope this helps answer some of the questions we’ve heard.”

Public comments were mixed with regards to the city’s statement.
”This statement explains governance and contracts, but it avoids the central question the community is asking: values,” one said. “At this moment, neutrality is a position. Continuing to allow ICE to train at a city-owned facility is not value neutral—it signals tolerance of an agency whose currently tactics are widely documented as harmful to community trust, human dignity, and public safety, particularly for immigrant families.
If the City believes ICE’s present-day practices align with Cottage Grove’s values, it should say so plainly.
“If it does not, then continued access to the HERO Center,—even if it is legally complex—is a values contradiction that requires leadership, not deflection.
“Contracts explain constraints. They do not define who we are.
“The community deserves a clear answer: Does the City support ICE’s current enforcement approach, or does it acknowledge that this partnership is no longer value-aligned?
Anything less is avoidance—not accountability.”
Others took a different view.
“Not everyone agrees,” another said. “Many of us are in full support.”