January 20, 2010 – 10:26 am
William Halpin, Jacob Appel, Shelly DeBerg (accepting on behalf of her husband Kelly), Chris Cooper
At last night’s City Council meeting, nine citizens were recognized for their efforts in aftermaths of two plane crashes that occurred in Eden Prairie last year. Jacob Appel, Christophe Cooper, William Halpin and Kelly DeBerg each received an Award of Valor from Mayor Phil Young for rendering aid at an August 12, 2009 plane crash on the property of the Cummins Grill House. The four employees of Hummingbird Aviation witnessed the crash from their offices at Flying Cloud Airport and raced to the scene of the burning airplane. They pulled the pilot out of the plane, used a garden hose to protect the historic Cummins Grill house from the encroaching flames and took photos of the crash site which aided in the subsequent investigation of the crash. Two people died in the crash.
Pilot Robert Fiske thanks rescuers Paul Ansolabehere, Christina Siefferman, Allen O'Day and Robert Schmidt. Not pictured: Robert Meyers
Two months later on October 5, Eden Prairie experienced a second plane crash, this time in the Cardinal Creek area. Five neighbors and passers-by responded to the crash and were able to pull the pilot from the burning plane to safety. For their roles in saving the pilot’s life, Robert Schmidt, Paul Ansolabehere and Christina Siefferman received the Police Department’s Award of Valor and Robert Meyers and Allen O’Day received a Letter of Recognition. The pilot, Robert Fiske, attended last night’s meeting and met with his rescuers for the first time since the crash.
To watch a recorded version of the awards presentation, click here. To see the story that aired on WCCO, click here.
January 14, 2010 – 2:15 pm
If you’re leaving town for vacation or an extended stay, the City of Eden Prairie has a few tips for you to follow in order to keep your house safe:
- Sign up for Code RED, the City’s emergency notification system. If you have questions about Code Red or how to how to enter your information, contact Steve Koering at the Fire Department at 952-949-8361.
- You do not need to register or notify the Police Department of your vacation. Instead, tell your neighbors that you will be out of town and how to reach you. Ask them to call 9-1-1 if they notice anything out of the ordinary.
- Set timers on both inside and outside lights.
- Stop mail and newspapers.
- Line up someone to shovel your driveway or sidewalk to make your home appear lived-in.
- Leave the thermostat set at 50 degrees.
- Turn the water off if you’re leaving your residence for more than three weeks. Call the City’s Utility Division at 952-949-8530 if you have questions about turning off your water.
January 13, 2010 – 9:10 am
At the January 5, 2010 Eden Prairie Police Reserve Officer meeting, two new Reserve members were welcomed to the ranks. Phillip Gjervold and Ashley Oberg joined the other 21 volunteer members of the Eden Prairie Police Reserves. They were selected after a recruitment process to fill two vacant spots created as a result of retirements.
The Eden Prairie Police Reserves is an auxiliary unit of the Police Department. Police Reserve Officers assist licensed, sworn officers by performing community service tasks and non-criminal police functions. Reserves also assist in natural disasters and other emergencies that require additional personnel. Eden Prairie Police Reservists are volunteers and do not carry firearms.
Reserve officers are required to attend specialized training and become CPR/First Aid certified. Officers also must work at least one weekend evening per month, attend monthly training meetings, carry a pager and respond when available to emergency calls.
January 8, 2010 – 11:54 am
Have you heard of CSI:EP? Unlike the popular TV crime series, Eden Prairie’s Crime Scene Unit (CSU) is real and deals with crimes that occur right here in Eden Prairie. Since its inception in 2005, the CSU has processed evidence in over 500 cases.
Prior to the establishment of the CSU, the EPPD relied upon the Hennepin County Crime Lab to collect evidence from crime scenes in Eden Prairie. Because Hennepin County was often busy processing evidence from other law enforcement agencies, we would typically have to wait for a long period of time until the Crime Lab could arrive on the scene. While waiting, our officers need to guard the scene, preventing them from answering other calls for service. Starting our own CSU using existing officers and detectives has allowed evidence to get collected more quickly and officers to get back on the street faster.
The CSU consists of 11 officers and investigators and two supervisors who have been specially trained to detect and collect forensic evidence including fingerprints, footprints, blood and DNA. In one recent case, a vehicle was recovered that was suspected in a burglary from an Eden Prairie business. The CSU used a special black powder to dust for fingerprints, found some full and partial prints, lifted the prints off of the vehicle with tape and then transferred them to a slide that was sent to the Hennepin County Crime Lab.
The Lab then uses a microscope to examine the prints and searches for matches in its database. There are currently several pending cases where evidence collected by the CSU will be presented in court in an effort to gain a conviction.
January 5, 2010 – 11:45 am
As of 9:00 a.m. on January 4, 2010, it’s a new world in the EPPD! That is, we have gone live with the biggest software upgrade the Police Department has experienced in its 37-year history. New World is the name of the new software which is often referred to as “all-in-one” or “integrated” to describe its ability to pull together a number of different communications systems.
In the past, the Police Department has had three different systems: a Record Management System (RMS), which is 23 years old; CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch); and Mobile, which is 9 years old. These systems are no longer able to keep up with the service needs of the Police Department. The Fire Department uses a system called Fire House which cannot share information with the Police systems. In 2007 city staff began looking for one overall system that could serve the needs of the Police and Fire Departments and allow them to share information.
After developing a needs assessment, sending out Requests For Proposals, receiving five bids from vendors and conducting site visits, New World Systems was selected to be the vendor in November 2008. Since that time, staff from the Police Department, Fire Department and Information Technology Division has been working closely with New World trainers and technicians to create a system that meets the unique needs of Eden Prairie.
This new system will allow for easy information sharing between the Police and Fire Departments, increase overall efficiency by reducing data entry redundancy, reduce response time to calls for service and provide officers the ability to complete reports while on the street.
The process to date has required a great deal of patience, cooperation and flexibility on the part of many city staff members. When the transition is completed in early 2011, Eden Prairie will have a system that continues to enhance the exceptional public service residents have come to expect from their city.
December 28, 2009 – 2:08 pm
Like many organizations at this time of year, we want to take a moment to look back and reflect upon the past 12 months. 2009 was a busy year for the EPPD. While the most visible part of our work is fighting crime, handling traffic violations, going on medical calls and responding to other emergencies, we have also been busy doing things that the public doesn’t often see.
The biggest behind-the-scenes project has been the implementation of New World, an integrated Police and Fire Management System, which will help make information sharing between the Police and Fire Departments more efficient, eliminate redundant data entry and aid faster response times.
Sgt. Matt Sackett demonstrates a SAFER tool
We initiated several new programs in the Police Department including SAFER, which helps kids and adults who are prone to wandering stay safe. We conducted a Citizen’s Academy, joined Crime Stoppers and became a member of the REACH program which provides books for children who are involved in police response calls.
EPPD Officers at the Peace Officers Memorial
Our staff managed the scenes of two plane crashes, closed a massage business that was engaged in criminal activity, caught suspects in several robberies and made over 22,000 traffic stops. We also participated in many of our annual activities including Safety Camp, the Polar Plunge, Night to Unite, My Book Day, the Special Olympics Torch Run and the Peace Officers Memorial Honor Guard.
We are proud of the work we have done in 2009 and look forward to continuing to serve Eden Prairie in the coming year.
December 24, 2009 – 8:25 am
For the last 15 years, employees of law enforcement agencies, including the EPPD, have donated toys for the annual Toys for Tots campaign. This year the department partnered with Bake Mark, an Eden Prairie company, to combine their donations.
On Monday, December 21, three Eden Prairie squad cars full of unwrapped gifts made their way to the Golden Valley Police Department where squad cars from 25-30 Twin Cities law enforcement agencies gathered before proceeding to the KARE-11 TV parking lot in Golden Valley. This year the agencies collected over 2,000 toys.
The EPPD appreciates the opportunity to give back to the community in such a meaningful way.
December 18, 2009 – 2:36 pm
Does the City use citations as a way to make money? No. The City receives a portion of the money collected when someone pays a citation. Eden Prairie’s portion goes into the City’s general fund which is used to pay for general city operations. For example, a basic speeding ticket in Hennepin County will cost a driver $145. The breakdown of the money is as follows:
- $75 surcharge. The surcharge is set by the Minnesota Legislature and goes directly to the state.
- $67 fine. The fine is set by state statute. Eighty percent ($53.60) of the fine is returned to the jurisdiction where the ticket was issued. The remaining 20% goes to the state court system. In 2008, the City of Eden Prairie received $383,759 in fine money for citations issued in Eden Prairie.
- $3 Law Library fee. This fee goes to support the state Law Library in St. Paul which is open to the public.
December 15, 2009 – 2:38 pm
At 3 a.m. on December 1, EPPD Officer Dan Peterson was assisting Officer John Wilson on a traffic stop when they noticed a passing car with expired license plate tabs. Officer Peterson pulled the vehicle over and noticed several tires and rims inside the vehicle. Officer Wilson was called to assist Officer Peterson and together they noted that the driver of the car was acting in a suspicious manner. They then requested other officers to search the lots of two nearby car dealerships for missing tires and rims.
The officers and K9 Brix began searching the lots and found several cars with their tires and rims missing. They also located a carjack and other evidence linked to the theft. Upon questioning, the driver of the car admitted that he had stolen the tires and rims from a local car dealer. Ultimately over $8,200 worth of tires and rims were recovered.
We are often asked why Eden Prairie officers spend a great amount of time enforcing traffic laws. One of the reasons is that many seemingly routine traffic stops, expired tabs for example, can lead to the discovery of criminal activity. The case cited above is a perfect example of that and as a result, Eden Prairie is a safer community.
December 10, 2009 – 10:38 am
Every year the EPPD invites former members of the Police Department to return for a lunch and annual meeting. Fifteen alumni attended this year’s event which was held on December 8. The meeting gave Chief Rob Reynolds the opportunity to provide a review of department activities from 2009 and a look ahead to 2010.
Those alumni who were sworn officers were also invited to attend a qualification shoot at the South Metro Training Facility in Edina. Once a retired officer passes the qualification shoot, they are licensed to carry a firearm in Minnesota.
The meeting is a great opportunity for alumni to reconnect with old colleagues and find out what’s new in the department. It’s also a chance for the newer officers to learn more about the origins of the department and maybe hear a few stories about the early days in Eden Prairie. The photo at left is from this year’s meeting and includes five of the six officers who founded the EPPD in 1973: (L to R ) Curt Oberlander, Bruce Wojack, Bill Blake, Les Bridger and Jack Hacking.
This year’s annual meeting also included a special presentation for the City’s long-time prosecutor, Jennifer Inz. Jennifer was awarded the Department’s Commendation Award for her 17 years of commitment to keeping Eden Prairie safe.
December 8, 2009 – 10:46 am
In the fall of 2007 Officer Fred Bock, who is assigned to the Eden Prairie Center, developed a brochure called “Protect Your Purse.” The purpose of the brochure is to help prevent the theft of purses from vehicles, shopping carts, day care centers, workout facilities, restaurants and other places where purses and wallets are commonly stolen.
Working with a grant from the Target Corporation, the EPPD distributed 5,000 of these brochures during the 2007 holiday season. Currently copies of the brochures are available on-line or at various Eden Prairie businesses.
The tips in the brochure are worth repeating, especially as the holiday shopping seasons ramps up. Eden Prairie statistics show that the peak time for thefts is between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Here are a few tips:
- Don’t leave your purse unattended in your car – even in the trunk. Trunks are easy to access with trunk levers or buttons inside your car.
- In a public bathroom, do not hang your purse on the back of the bathroom door. Instead, place it on the floor between your feet.
- At a restaurant or bar, don’t hang your purse on the back of your chair. Instead, place it on the floor between your feet or hook it on one of the front chair legs.
December 4, 2009 – 10:56 am
If you’ve seen squad cars in Eden Prairie that belong to other police departments, they may be participating in Operation Nightcap, a program operated as part of the State of Minnesota’s Safe and Sober enforcement program. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provides funding for Operation Nightcap to counties considered to be the deadliest for impaired driving.
The most recent event in which Eden Prairie participated was held on November 21 and took place through several cities along I-494. Thirty officers from eighteen agencies including the EPPD, State Patrol and Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, patrolled the I-494 corridor to look for offenses including speed, DWI, seat belt and equipment violations.
At the end of the one-day event, officers worked a total of 231.25 hours, stopped 421 vehicles and took 21 people into custody. Close to 500 arrests, citations and warnings were issued, including 148 for speeding and 19 for Driving While Intoxicated.
Operation Nightcap is an excellent example of how Minnesota jurisdictions work together to help make roads safer for everyone and the EPPD is proud to be a part of it.
December 2, 2009 – 9:32 am
Along with the holiday shopping season comes opportunities for cyber criminals to steal money and personal identification information from unsuspecting shoppers. In 2008, the EPPD took 209 reports of identity theft, 46 reports of forgery/counterfeiting, 22 reports of theft by check and 34 reports of credit card fraud.
Here are some tips provided by the FBI to help safeguard your holidays from cyber thieves:
- Do not respond to unsolicited (spam) e-mail.
- Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited e-mail.
- Be cautious of e-mail claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders. Virus-scan the attachments if possible.
- Don’t fill out forms contained in e-mail messages that ask for personal information.
- Always compare the link in the e-mail to the link you are actually directed to and determine if they actually match and will lead you to a legitimate site.
- Log on directly to the official Web site for the business identified in the e-mail, instead of “linking” to it from an unsolicited e-mail. If the e-mail appears to be from your bank, credit card issuer, or other company you deal with frequently, your statements or official correspondence from the business will provide the proper contact information.
- Contact the actual business that supposedly sent the e-mail to verify if the e-mail is genuine.
If you have become a victim of internet fraud, contact your local police department. For more information on check and financial card fraud and identity theft log on to the Police Department’s webpage at edenprairie.org/police department.
November 24, 2009 – 10:20 am
The EPPD is a 24/7/365 operation. Even on holidays, our officers and dispatchers work to protect the community. Thanksgiving Day is no different than any other day, although you may find turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie in the break room instead of the usual pizza. Officers who can’t celebrate Thanksgiving with their immediate families try to squeeze in a celebration with their work family in between calls. But officers are busy – even on a holiday.
Take, for example, 2008. In the early morning hours of Thanksgiving Day, Eden Prairie Police Officers were dispatched to a residence on a report of a domestic disturbance. The officers were advised that the caller’s husband had threatened to kill her and her brothers and that there were two young children inside the residence. The husband was drunk and had a gun.
After several unsuccessful attempts at contacting the husband, the sergeant on duty requested back up from the department’s Emergency Response Unit, the Crisis Negotiations Unit, Hennepin County and tactical teams from the Minnetonka and Edina Police Departments. The tactical teams were able to make a forced entry to the home, secure the children and apprehend the suspect. Officers also recovered an unsecured loaded handgun in the home.
On that same day, EPPD officers responded to 111 other incidents, including a death investigation, traffic stops, medical calls, a fireworks complaint and barking dogs. Although at times members of EPPD do miss out on spending time with their families during the holidays, they are proud to serve this community, each and every day of the year.
November 20, 2009 – 2:25 pm
Working for a police department, we often hear things about law enforcement that do not ring true. It may be a misperception or an urban legend that has grown as it gets passed from person to person – sometimes funny, sometimes outrageous, but often, simply untrue. We have decided to put a few of those myths to the test and see if there is any truth to them.
Myth #1 – It’s against the law to drive barefoot. There is no law requiring a driver to wear shoes. However, footwear (or lack thereof) should not interfere with the safe operation of the car. As long as you are in control of your vehicle, you may drive barefoot.
Myth #2 – You must stop for five seconds at a stopsign. State statute does not have a time requirement for how long you should stop at a stopsign. Statute 169.30(b) states, “Every driver of a vehicle shall stop at a stop sign or at a clearly marked stop line before entering the intersection, except when directed to proceed by a police officer or traffic-control signal.” Eden Prairie police officers look to make sure that drivers come to a COMPLETE stop at a stopsign.
Myth #3 – Police officers give out more tickets at the end of the month because they are trying to meet their “quota.” In fact, quotas for traffic tickets are against the law. Minnesota Statute 169.985 states, “A law enforcement agency may not order, mandate, require, or suggest to a peace officer a quota for the issuance of traffic citations…”
Myth #4 – Police officers like donuts. Okay, that one is true.
If you have a question on something you’ve heard about law enforcement and you would like us to check it out, please click on the “Contact the Police Department Bloggers” link below the patch to the left, fill it out and return it to us.
