Current Events

EDINA’S NIGHT TO UNITE
Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2010; 6-8:30 p.m.

Edina, Minn., June 1, 2010 -- Edina neighborhoods will join forces with communities statewide for the “Night to Unite” crime prevention event. Neighbors are encouraged to lock their doors, turn on outside lights and spend the evening outside with neighbors.

Night to Unite is designed to:

• Get to know one another in your neighborhood.

• Build neighborhood involvement by bringing police and communities together.

• Bring awareness to crime prevention and local law enforcement efforts.

Click here to register your party. Fill out the Block Party Application, write “Night to Unite” under name of organization.

Officers will be available to attend parties but unfortunately we cannot guarantee an officer at every party – Register early!

All registrations must be received by Thursday July 23rd, 2010

A special thank you to this years sponsors:
Target, Jerry’s’ Foods, Lund’s & Byerly’s, Spartan Promotional Group, Blockbuster, and the Minnesota Crime Prevention Association

Edina Police Department commemorates National Law Enforcement Memorial Week, May 9-15

Edina, Minn., May 9-15, 2010 -- In honor of National Law Enforcement Memorial Week, the Minnesota Law Enforcement Memorial Association (LEMA) is sponsoring several activities to honor all fallen officers. These events will be especially meaningful, coming so soon after the tragic shooting of a Maplewood police officer. This year, for the first time, the Edina Police Department is pleased to be holding a brief ceremony.

Edina Officer Jim Rygg and Sgt. Vik Konters are members of the LEMA Honor Guard and will be taking part in all the activities listed below:

Flag Raising Ceremony - Monday May 10, 9 a.m.
On the front steps of Edina City Hall, 4801 W. 50th St., City Manager Gordon Hughes will raise the American flag for the start of National Law Enforcement Memorial Week in honor of the men and women of law enforcement who have given their lives in the line of duty. Officer Rygg and Sgt. Konters will form the Honor Guard.

Standing of the Memorial Guard - Friday, May 14, 8 p.m. to Saturday May 15, 7:30 p.m.
LEMA will be walking the “Thin Blue Line” at the Law Enforcement Memorial. The Memorial is located at the intersection of Wabasha and 12th Street, on the grounds of the State Capitol in St. Paul.

Wreath Laying Ceremonies - Friday, May 14 and Saturday, May 15
Individual wreaths will be posted at the Memorial at various times throughout the "Standing of the Guard."

Candlelight Vigil - Saturday, May 15, 7:30 p.m.
A brief program at the Law Enforcement Memorial. There will be a social gathering afterward at the nearby National Guard Armory.

LEMA challenge coins ($10) and pens ($1) are available at the Edina Police Department,
4801 W. 50th St. All proceeds go to LEMA.

Please contact Officer Rygg or Sgt. Konters at 952-826-1610 for further information, or visit www.mnlema.org.
 

Edina K-9 cop set to retire

Edina, Minn., Feb. 26, 2010 -- After a long and very successful career that included 841 narcotics searches, 197 missing person searches and multiple other services (including once tracking down a window peeper) K-9 Kodiak is set to retire. Kodiak is the last K-9 of his training class to do so. Join the Edina Police Department in saying good-bye and thanks to Kodiak for eight years of dedicated service to the community on Thursday, March 4, 2010 from 3 to 5 p.m. at Edina City Hall's Main Lobby.

New School Resource Officer at Edina Middle Schools

Edina, Minn., Sept. 1, 2009 -- Chief of Police Mike Siitari is pleased to announce the selection of Officer Dan Conboy as the 2009-10 School Resource Officer (SRO) for South View and Valley View Middle Schools. Dan follows in the footsteps of Officer Jim Rygg, who held the position for more than five years.

Dan has been a police officer for 10 years, primarily in patrol, and is "… looking forward to the change in focus and working with staff and students. Edina schools provide a fun and safe learning environment and I'm glad to be a part of that and take on this new opportunity."

Dan will have an office at both South View and Valley View and can be reached at 952-292-2395.

Dan will be working closely with Officer Kenna Dick, the SRO at Edina High School. Kenna is starting her second year in that position and says she has "had a good summer but is excited to get back and meet the new students and begin the new year."

Officer Dick can be reached in her office at the High School or at 952-292-2385.

Both officers enjoy working with young people and hope the students will stop by to say hello.
 

Fingerprinting Day Change

Edina, Minn., Aug. 28, 2009 -- Beginning next week (Aug.31,2009), fingerprinting at the Police Department will be available on Thursdays instead of Wednesdays. The service is available between 6 and 7 PM on Thursdays, for Edina residents and School District employees only. Please bring proof of residency and/or employment. There is a $15 charge for the first card, $5 for each additional card.

For questions call the Department at 952-826-1610.

Night to Unite is a success

Edina, Minn., Aug. 6, 2009 -- Neighborhoods throughout the city turned out on Tuesday, Aug. 4, to celebrate Edina’s 2009 Night to Unite. Perfect weather, great attendance and the generous support of Caribou Coffee and Target made this year’s event one to remember. Officers stopped by 52 block parties and gave out balloons, disc flyers and other fun items for kids and crime prevention material for adults.

Night to Unite for 2010 is Tuesday, Aug. 3 – it’s never too early to mark your calendars!
 

Edina Officers in St Paul for Law Enforcement Memorial Day

Edina, Minn., May 7, 2009 -- On Friday May 15, 2009, our country will celebrate National Law Enforcement Memorial Day. The day was set aside 47 years ago by then-President John F. Kennedy to honor law enforcement officers nationwide who made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives in the line of duty.

Two officers from the Edina Police Department will again participate with other Minnesota officers in maintaining a day long vigil at the Peace Officers Memorial on the grounds of the Minnesota State Capitol. The vigil will conclude with a march by the Honor Guard across the Wabasha Bridge before a candlelight service at 7:30 pm at the Memorial.

This event will be held regardless of weather. The public is encouraged to come to the Memorial any time on the 15th and help remember those men and women who have given their all in the line of duty.

For more information visit the Minnesota Law Enforcement Memorial Association’s website at http://www.mnlema.org.

Celebrate National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week April 12-18

Edina, Minn., April 9, 2009 -- For many years, the second week in April has been a national week of recognition of public safety communicators. The Edina Police Department is pleased to acknowledge and honor the efforts of the men and women of its Communications Center who work around the clock, all year long, to support officers in the field and help keep Edina a safe community.

Edina Communications Specialists handled approximately 60,000 emergency and nonemergency calls in 2008 and performed many other critical duties including criminal background checks and the constant monitoring of our city security system. Other interesting facts include:
 

• Number of employees: Eight civilian Communications Specialists and one Supervisor, each with an average of 10 years experience.

• Training: Sixteen weeks initial training, one-year probation. Many of our dispatchers have advanced study in emergency communications

• Equipment: State-of-the-art digital 800 megahertz trunked radio system.
   

For an informative brochure about the use of 9-1-1, visit www.nena.org/sites/default/files/Making_911_All_Parts.pdf.

For more information about the Communications Center, or to schedule a sit-along with a dispatcher, please contact Communications Supervisor Laurene Draper, 952-826-0475.

Arrest made in string of prolific burglaries

Edina, Minn., March 5, 2009 -- On Saturday, Feb. 28, 2009, detectives with Edina Police Department arrested a 20-year-old Edina resident, Nicholas Guzman, whom they believe was involved with as many as 30 residential burglaries in the northeast Edina area. Guzman was taken into custody without incident at his home and brought to the Hennepin County jail. He posted bail the morning of Monday, March 2, and was released.

The string of early-morning burglaries and auto thefts began in June 2008 and continued through October, and many of the burglaries involved entry into an occupied home through a cut window screen. Total value of the stolen property exceeds $116,000.

Guzman was identified through a Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office Crime Lab report which matched the fingerprints from several of the burglaries with known Guzman fingerprints.

The Hennepin County Attorney’s office is reviewing charges including multiple counts of first-degree burglary and auto theft.

Edina Police Department to host Citizens' Academy

Edina, Minn., Jan. 28, 2009 -- On Tuesday, March 10, the Edina Police Department will host the first session of its first-ever Citizens’ Academy. 

Police Chief Mike Siitari believes that “.. the program increases our transparency – it’s a real inside look at the Department. Both the community and the Department will benefit  and the Academy will  enhance an already good working relationship with an informed and engaged citizenry.” 

Siitari credits Edina Officer Brian Hubbard with the organizing and paperwork needed to put it all together.  Siitari said, “The timing is right. The Academy will provide a more realistic look at police work and dispel some of the false ideas floating around out there, and I think it will connect our department with our residents on another level.”  

The Academy runs for 10 weeks on Tuesday nights from March 10 through May 12. Classes will be held at the Edina Police Department and the South Metro Public Safety Training Facility near Braemar Arena. The Academy is open to all Edina residents and those who work in the community, and includes topics such as DWI and drug enforcement, defensive tactics, interviewing and interrogation, use of force, local crime trends and the judicial process. 

For an application or more information on the Citizens’ Academy, call Officer Brian Hubbard, Edina Police Department, at 952-826-1610 or visit the City of Edina website. All applications must be received by March 2.