March 18, 2010 – 12:21 pm
On Friday, March 12, EPPD officers did catch a thief – a bank robber to be exact. That morning, an Eden Prairie officer heard a police radio report of an armed bank robbery that had just taken place in Richfield. A witness at the bank was able to get a license plate number which was also relayed over the police radio. The Eden Prairie officer looked up the license plate number and found that it was registered to an Eden Prairie address.
The officer then contacted his partners and they fanned out throughout the area near the residence. Within a short time, officers spotted the vehicle, stopped it and took the driver into custody. Richfield police were able to confirm that the driver was indeed the bank robbery suspect. The officers and dispatchers who assisted with the call worked together in an efficient and professional manner. As a result they were able to safely arrest a dangerous criminal.
March 16, 2010 – 12:04 pm
Last Saturday nearly 300 brave and hearty souls jumped into the icy waters of Round Lake to help raise money for the Minnesota Special Olympics. They came dressed in costumes, swimsuits and regular clothing and raised $56,000 for Special Olympics athletes in Minnesota. In total, $1.3 million was raised during the 13 plunge events in Minnesota in 2010.
The EPPD would like to thank the plungers, volunteers and supporters to helped make this event a big success.
FOX9 Meteorologist Ian Leonard gets ready to plunge with some Special Olympics athletes
The EPPD team
Plungers in their formal wear
Although it doesn’t happen very often in Eden Prairie, each year there are motorists who attempt to flee from police in their vehicles. In 2009, fourteen people were charged with fleeing police. When this occurs, officers follow department procedures designed to minimize danger to the public and end the chase as quickly and safely as possible.
One of the methods officers may use is called Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT) which is a trained control technique where a police car contacts a fleeing vehicle in a controlled manner that causes the car to stop abruptly. Officers receive hands-on PIT training every three years at the Minnesota Highway Safety Research Center in St. Cloud where they drive cars on a closed course and practice the techniques they have learned.
Officers are encouraged to use PIT to stop a chase before it begins and before it poses any threat to the public’s safety. The goal is to have any incident of fleeing contained to the suspect and the officer. PIT is one more tool Eden Prairie officers have to ensure the safety of our community.
How late is too late to stay out if you’re a kid in Eden Prairie? It depends on your age. Curfew is established by Hennepin County ordinance for the purpose of protecting children – both from others and themselves. The breakdown of ages and times is as follows:
Age Weekdays Friday & Saturday
Under 12 Home by 9:00 pm Home by 10:00 pm
12-14 Home by 10:00 pm Home by 11:00 pm
15-17 Home by 11:00 pm Home by midnight
There are exceptions, including being accompanied by a parent, traveling to and from work, attending an official school, religious or recreational activity and interstate travel. The penalty for being out after curfew is $25 for the first offense, $50 for the second offense and $75 or two days of sentence to serve community service for the third offense. If the child or teen has a prior juvenile record, a court date will be set for the first offense.
In 2009, fifteen juveniles were cited for curfew violations.
On New Year’s Day of this year, Eden Prairie officers took a report of a residential burglary where several valuable items were stolen including passports, birth certificates and social security cards. Three days later the burglary victim received a phone call demanding money in return for the stolen items. The victim contacted Eden Prairie Police and one of our detectives set him up with a recording device for his phone in case the suspect called back.
The following evening an Eden Prairie officer was on patrol when he observed the suspicious behavior of two men using a pay phone at a gas station. After the two men left the gas station the officer pulled them over for not having license plates on their vehicle. Once stopped, the passenger in the vehicle fled on foot and was chased by several officers. When one of the officers returned to the vehicle, the driver was attempting to stuff several documents, including passports, under the front seat of the car. The officers then realized the probability that these men were involved in the earlier extortion plot. Both men were arrested.
The officers on the scene, the detective who worked with the victim and the dispatcher who advised the officers that evening all worked together in a professional manner. They followed their instincts, communicated with each other and acted quickly. As a result, the stolen property was returned to its rightful owner.
The melting of snow and return of warmer weather also means the return of garage sales in many Eden Prairie neighborhoods. A new ordinance passed by the City Council last fall gives greater definition on how garage sales can be run in the City. If you are planning to hold a garage sale in Eden Prairie you must adhere to the following:
- No more than four garage sales may occur at a dwelling in a twelve month period. This provision is intended to distinguish between regular garage sales and home-based businesses.
- No garage sale may exceed four consecutive days. This is to minimize the potential disruption of a neighborhood due to traffic, noise, etc.
- Only two off-site directional garage sale signs and one on-site sign (none larger than six square feet) are allowed in a residential area, one day prior to the sale. The signs must be removed one day after the sale.
- If you choose to use off-site directional signs, be sure to get permission from the property owner before placing your garage sale sign in their yard.
If you have questions about the rules that apply to garage sales contact the Police Department’s Zoning Administrator at 952-949-6222.
February 26, 2010 – 11:15 am
Although most EPPD officers will end their careers without ever having fired their duty weapon while responding to a call, preparing for that possibility is crucial. As a result, officers are required to attend a number of firearms training each year. For Eden Prairie officers that training is conducted by some of our own officers who have completed special training in order to become firearms instructors.
Instructor Chris Millard watches as Detective Dean Corder shoots
Every officer is required by state law to “qualify” with their handgun and the rifle used by the Department. An officer qualifies on a particular weapon by passing a test designed to assess the officer’s accuracy using that weapon. Under state law officers are also required to complete firearms training while under low light conditions and while wearing cold weather gear.
Armorer Jess Irmiter takes apart a gun
In Eden Prairie our firearms training goes beyond what is required by state law. Our instructors set up additional range trainings throughout the year on various topics that are more challenging and more realistic than the qualification training. In addition, once a year each handgun and rifle owned by the Department is inspected by a specially trained officer called an “armorer” who takes apart each gun, makes sure it is working, cleans it and returns it to the officer.
Firearms range training is held at the Southwest Metro Training Facility in Edina. The Facility is a joint project of the cities of Eden Prairie, Edina and Bloomington, along with the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport.
February 22, 2010 – 9:10 am
Every year in Eden Prairie hundreds of dogs and cats are reported “at-large”. This means someone has called our dispatch to let us know that either a) their own dog or cat is missing, or b) they notice a cat or dog that appears to be roaming at large with no owner in sight. In 2009, we received 526 calls indicating a dog at-large and 94 calls for a cat at-large.
So once our dispatchers receive the call, what happens? If the caller is reporting that their own pet is missing, information regarding the pet will be entered into the Department’s “lost pet file” and every effort will be made to return the pet to its owner once it has been found. The information is kept on file for 10 days – shorter if the animal is found and longer if the owner requests it.
If a resident calls to report that they have observed what appears to be a stray pet, an Animal Control Officer or Community Service Officer will be dispatched to the area to look for the animal. If the animal is wearing identification or has a microchip, the officer will attempt to return the pet to its owner. If the animal is not wearing identification it will be brought to the Bloomington Animal Shelter.
February 16, 2010 – 2:42 pm
The EPPD’s Crime Scene Unit (CSU) just got a new tool to help collect evidence at crime scenes – a forensic light. The purpose of the light is to find evidence that cannot be detected by the naked eye. In the past, the CSU has used a special powder to dust for fingerprints on a potential piece of evidence. The forensic light has the ability to find more types evidence on more types of surfaces.
The top photo at right shows a blood print in standard room light. The lower photo at right is the same blood print that has been illuminated with a forensic light. The key to forensic lighting is fluorescence: the absorption of light at one wavelength and the emission of light at a longer wavelength.
Officers wear special goggles when using the forensic light to locate evidence, including the detection of fibers and hairs that can be collected and potentially processed at a lab for DNA. Body fluids and gunshot residue can also be easily observed when using this new light.
February 10, 2010 – 2:48 pm
Yesterday the City of Eden Prairie declared a Snow Emergency after the City received more than two inches of snow. As a result, parking is restricted on all Eden Prairie streets until they have been plowed to the full width of the roadway. Any vehicle parked on a City street which has not been plowed to the full width of the roadway will be subject to citation and possible impound by the Eden Prairie Police Department.
Getting cars off the streets allows our plows to fully clear the streets from curb to curb making it easier for vehicles to move safely through the streets. This is particularly important for emergency vehicles. Police cars, ambulances and fire trucks need room to maneuver quickly down roadways in order to arrive on-scene to an emergency in a safe and timely manner.
In Minneapolis, the City has restricted parking to only one side of the street on non-snow emergency routes throughout the City until April 1 in order to allow emergency vehicles enough room to move down streets. An article in today’s Star Tribune explains the details. We don’t expect to reach that point in Eden Prairie but in the meantime, please move your vehicles off the roadways until your street has been fully plowed. Our plow drivers and emergency responders appreciate your cooperation!
February 8, 2010 – 2:01 pm
The 2009 EPPD team gets ready to jump
Because we had so much fun and raised so much money in 2009, the Eden Prairie Police Department is once again hosting a Polar Bear Plunge to raise money for the Special Olympics. This year’s event will be held on Saturday, March 13 at noon at Round Lake here in Eden Prairie. The Polar Bear Plunge involves raising a minimum of $75 in pledges and jumping into a hole cut in the ice. Last year the plungers at Round Lake raised over $36,000 which goes to help Special Olympics athletes throughout the state.
Law enforcement agencies have a close relationship with the Special Olympics. We help out with a number of annual Special Olympics fund raising events, including the Polar Plunge, under the umbrella of the Special Olympics Torch Run. Law enforcement officers are considered to be the “Guardians” of the “Flame of Hope” which is lit during the Opening Ceremonies of the Special Olympics games each summer.
Plungers can jump as an individual or on a team. Thirteen Polar Plunges will take place throughout the state from January through March of this year. If you would like to be a part of this unique opportunity to support thousands of Special Olympics athletes in Minnesota, you can sign up to be a plunger or donate money in support of a plunger by logging on to www.specialolympicsminnesota.org. You are also welcome to come out and cheer on these brave jumpers.
There they go!
The Plunge starts at noon with registration running from 9:00 to noon at the American Legion in Chanhassen. There will be buses available from the Legion to Round Lake for participants and observers. Pre-registration will be held the night before the Polar Plunge (March 12) from 5-8 p.m. at the American Legion.
We hope to see you there!
February 2, 2010 – 1:44 pm
On Monday, EPPD officers had the opportunity to take advantage of Wills for Heroes, a unique program designed to assist emergency personnel in preparing wills for themselves and their families at no cost. The program was initially started in South Carolina after 9/11 and Minnesota’s version is now one of 15 programs nationwide. Minnesota’s program was started in 2007 by the Minnesota State Bar Association Probate and Trust Section and is currently part of the Minnesota Volunteer Attorney Program, Inc.
| Volunteer attorneys and data entry staff travel throughout the state on designated days and set-up clinics where the attorneys draft basic Wills, Powers of Attorney and Health Care Directives for eligible first responders and their spouses (or domestic partners). In order to complete the entire process in one hour, officers are asked to complete pre-work prior to their appointed time. Attorneys bring laptops and portable printers with them so the documents can be executed and notarized at the appointment.
The Wills for Heroes program is extremely popular. Since the program’s inception, 2,774 police officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians and corrections officers have been served in Minnesota alone. Thanks to this program, 24 Eden Prairie officers can now join that number in resting a bit easier knowing that their affairs are in order in the event of a tragedy. |
January 28, 2010 – 1:29 pm
When officers are on patrol and dispatchers and office staff members take phone calls, they are often subject to verbal abuse from suspects or callers. People who come in contact with the EPPD may be upset about a ticket, stressed about a car accident or feel violated by a burglary, causing them to have a strong emotional reaction. The first contact they have after an incident is often with one of our staff and as a result, we equip our department members to handle these responses in a way that de-escalates the situation and keeps both officers and citizens safe.
To that end, last week EPPD officers, dispatchers and office staff attended a training called “Verbal Judo,” a course put on by The Verbal Judo Institute which is based in New York. The course was held locally at the Southwest Metro Training Facility and was taught by a former NYPD officer. The class focused on using verbal tactics, rather than force, to gain compliance. The lessons in this training enhanced the department’s current method of managing non-compliant suspects through spoken commands before resorting to physical force.
The training provided officers with tips on how to listen effectively, read non-verbal clues and use language that will enhance compliance from suspects. For example, if an officer pulls over a car for suspected drunk driving and finds a non-compliant driver, the officer can listen to the driver and then lay out the driver’s options. Oftentimes, this approach allows the driver to calm down, consider the options presented and make the decision to comply with the officer’s request. This reduces the need for force in arrest situations which in turn reduces the risk of injury to officers and suspects.
January 26, 2010 – 11:32 am
Last week the EPPD posted its 100th blog and we thought we would check in with Google Analytics to see how we’ve done in the 12 months since we made our first post. Since the blog debuted on February 2, 2009, it has received 15,116 visits from 10,348 unique visitors. The average time a viewer spent on the blog is 9 minutes, 50 seconds.
Google Analytics also tells us where our readers are located. We have had readers in 83 countries and territories so far. The greatest number of visitors is from the U.S., followed by Canada and the U.K. but we’ve also had readers from as far away as Australia, India, the Philippines, Russia, Indonesia and Ghana. Here in the U.S., our blog has been viewed by people in every state except Wyoming. After Minnesota, our greatest number of readers comes from New York and California.
We are looking forward to our next 100 blogs and are open to suggestions for blogging topics. Just click on “Contact the Eden Prairie Police Bloggers” on the left and let us know what you think. Thanks for reading!
January 22, 2010 – 2:11 pm
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the Minnesota Joint Analysis Center are warning citizens to exercise caution when responding to solicitations for contributions in the wake of the Haitian earthquake. Here are a few tips to help make sure your dollars go to a legitimate charity and not into the hands of con artists.
Do not respond to any unsolicited (SPAM) incoming emails, including clicking links contained within those messages.
Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as surviving victims or officials asking for donations via e-mail or social networking sites.
Verify the legitimacy of nonprofit organizations by utilizing various Internet-based resources that may assist in confirming the group’s existence and its nonprofit status rather than following a purported link to the site.
Be cautious of e-mails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files because the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.
Make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf to ensure contributions are received and used for intended purposes.
Do not give your personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions. Providing such information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.
The officer then contacted his partners and they fanned out throughout the area near the residence. Within a short time, officers spotted the vehicle, stopped it and took the driver into custody. Richfield police were able to confirm that the driver was indeed the bank robbery suspect. The officers and dispatchers who assisted with the call worked together in an efficient and professional manner. As a result they were able to safely arrest a dangerous criminal.
