FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 1, 2025
Contact:
Marcia Moermond
Marcia.Moermond@ci.stpaul.mn.us
(651) 266–8570
Jennifer “JLor” Lor
JLor@ci.stpaul.mn.us
(651) 417-9454
Saint Paul City Council Extends Local State of Emergency to Respond to Digital Security Incident
Emergency declaration enables rapid mobilization of local, state, and federal resources
SAINT PAUL, MN – Today, the Saint Paul City Council voted unanimously to extend Mayor Carter's local state of emergency declared in response to an ongoing digital security incident. Council action extends the city’s emergency declaration for 90 days and supports the departments of Emergency Management and Office of Technology and Communications’ mobilization of local, state, and federal partners to lead an effective and coordinated response.
"In every crisis, we move forward by bringing every city leader to the table,” said Mayor Carter. “I appreciate the City Council’s steady support as we lead this investigation and ensure our city continues to operate without disruption.”
“Today’s action by the Council reflects both the seriousness of this incident and our responsibility to protect the continuity of essential services for Saint Paul residents,” said Council President Rebbecca Noecker. “By extending the emergency declaration, we’re ensuring that the city can continue to access the external support and coordination necessary to respond effectively. Our deepest thanks go to the staff, emergency management teams, and cybersecurity experts working tirelessly to resolve this issue and safeguard our systems.”
“I’m deeply grateful to our city staff and all of our intergovernmental partners for working tirelessly to quickly investigate and try to resecure city systems,” said Council Vice President HwaJeong Kim. “Extending the state of emergency will allow the city to continue to support our residents accessing services and ensure the significant breach is investigated and stopped.”
Last Friday, the city’s cybersecurity protection systems detected suspicious activity on its internal network, prompting an immediate investigation. During a public briefing, city leaders confirmed the activity was a deliberate and coordinated action. In response, Mayor Carter declared a local state of emergency to support a whole-of-government response to ensure the continuity of public safety and city services.
He requested the support of Governor Tim Walz, who issued an executive order activating the Minnesota National Guard cyber protection teams to bolster the city’s response.
“In just a few days, our city has ensured employees can count on being paid, emergency responses remain protected, and many service lines have already been restored. We will continue working with Mayor Carter, city staff, and partners to address this matter with the utmost professionalism, efficiency, and care. Ward 7, we are still here for you—please continue reaching out with your questions and concerns and know that we’re all continuing to work on your behalf," said Councilmember Cheniqua Johnson.
Councilmember Saura Jost said “I am certain of our city’s ability to overcome this challenge. Diligent work from our city staff, the Mayor’s Administration, and our governmental partners will ensure that not only will we recover but that Saint Paul will continue to provide services even through the worst of this security incident.”
“I am grateful to Mayor Carter and city staff and directors for their quick response to addressing the recent digital security incident. When these types of incidents occur, I know the practices we have in place prepares us for unknown times. I appreciate my Councilmember colleagues for making the time today to vote in support of extending the state of emergency,” said Councilmember Nelsie Yang.
City leaders have:
- Extended the local state of emergency to 90 days effective immediately
- Supported an intensive forensic investigation into the digital security incident
- Maintained the integrity of public safety and emergency response services
- Ensured all city employees will be paid on time
- Restored customer service lines for with the remainder coming back online in the coming days
The latest updates on city services are available at stpaul.gov.
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