Current Events

Residential burglaries reported in east Edina

Edina, Minn., Aug. 14, 2008 -- Recently, the east side of Edina has experienced an increase in residential burglary. These burglaries are happening in the early morning hours and the burglars are entering homes through ground-level windows. 

Detective Dave Carlson, lead investigator of these incidents, encourages all residents  to “ Call 9-1-1 at any time for anything suspicious. We need and appreciate help from the public so we can apprehend the people committing these burglaries. And please lock your windows and doors; make it harder and more time consuming for someone to break in. Lights around the exterior of the house are a good idea, too. But I can’t emphasize strongly enough the importance of calling us if your dog suddenly starts barking at 3 a.m. or you think you see someone in your backyard.”

The Edina Police Department is available to come to your home and assess its security. There is no charge for this service. Call 952-826-1610 to request a Security Survey.   

Edina Police Department encourages neighborhoods to participate in National Night Out

Edina, Minn., July 8, 2008 -- Edina neighborhoods will join forces with thousands of communities nationwide 5-9 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 5, for the 25th-annual National Night Out crime prevention event. Neighbors are encouraged to lock their doors, turn on outside lights and spend the evening outside with neighbors.

Participating is easy and fun! Simply register your party with the Edina Police Department to request a visit from a police officer. Fill out the City's "block party application" and write “National Night Out" on the line asking for the name of your organization.

Join a growing number of your neighbors by participating in this event! The National Night Out campaign is a great way to build neighborhood unity and strengthen police-community partnerships. For more information about National Night Out, call Nicole Pesek at 952-833-9523.

All registrations must be received by Friday, July 25.

Edina Police Department recognized for going ‘Above and Beyond’ in support of employees in military

Golden Valley, Minn., May 2008 -- The Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) division of the federal Department of Defense recently recognized the Edina Police Department with an “Above and Beyond” award for its unfaltering support of their employees who also serve in the military. Gov. Tim Pawlenty presented the award to Edina Deputy Police Chief Jeff Long and other members of the Department on May 12.

The Edina Police Department was one of 27 employers in Minnesota honored with the “Above and Beyond” award at the Minnesota State Committee for ESGR Annual Awards Banquet held at the Golden Valley Country Club. The Department was recognized specifically for their support of two Police Officers, Port Security Specialist Kevin Rofidal and Boatswain’s Mate Brandon Kuske, who both serve in the Coast Guard Reserve and were called to duty last fall after the I-35W bridge collapse.

“Within minutes of the bridge collapse, we had most of our personnel deployed at the scene assisting the City of Minneapolis or on-duty in Edina,” said Rofidal. “Over the next four days, even though the Police Department was stretched thin, we were given complete support to fulfill our obligations to the Coast Guard. Without hesitation, our colleagues and supervisors filled schedules and covered shifts on a very short-notice.

“The fact that they [Rofidal and Kuske] are in the military serving our country in addition to their work as police officers shows that they are the ones going ‘Above and Beyond.,’” said Long. “It may sound cliché, but the least we can do is be flexible and supportive when they are called to duty.”

ESGR was established in 1972 and its members have been working to gain and maintain employer support for members of the Guard and Reserve by recognizing outstanding support, increasing awareness of the law and resolving any conflict between employer and employee through mediation.

According to ESGR Chairman and retired Brigadier General Dennis Schulstad, “It’s important to remember that the military would not be able to handle homeland defense and emergency response without the Guard and Reserve. It requires a great deal of sacrifice not only from the individuals in service and their families, but also the employers who have to continue working when an employee is called to duty. The Edina Police Department has always been really cooperative and makes it very easy for these men and women to do their work for the military.”
 

Edina Police Negotiators Finish First in Regional Competition

Grand Forks, ND, June 2008 -- On May 19-21, the Edina Police Department’s Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Team (HCNT) participated in a regional competition at the third-annual Upper Red River Valley Conference in Grand Forks, ND. Minnesota competitors included the Bloomington, Edina, Minnetonka, and St. Louis Park Police Departments, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Department of Corrections, and the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department. North Dakota and Canadian law enforcement agencies rounded out the field.

Edina officers formed cooperative teams with both the Minnetonka and St. Louis Park Police Negotiators. The team of four St. Louis Park and two Edina Hostage Negotiators finished in first place, followed by Bloomington and Winnipeg Police Department in second and third places respectively.

The Edina HCNT was formed in 1997 and is lead by Sgt. Phil Larsen. Members are chosen based on field experience and demonstrated ability. The group currently includes four officers, with a combined total of approximately 80 years of law enforcement experience. The team is called out to critical situations in Edina and neighboring communities.

For more information about the conference or the Edina HCNT, contact Larsen at 952-826-1610.

Edina Officers to Participate in Special Olympics Torch Run

Edina, Minn., June 2008 -- On Thursday, June 19, at approximately 11 a.m., 18 Edina Police Department personnel will gather in the lot at the Braemar Arena to receive the Special Olympics Torch from the Eden Prairie Police Department. Edina personnel will then run and bike through south Edina carrying the Torch in support of the Minnesota Special Olympics. The five-mile run ends behind Fire Station No. 2 on York Avenue, when the Torch is turned over to the Richfield Police Department.

Chief Mike Siitari will again be one of the runners, and he encourages all residents to come out and cheer on the Police Department. “We’d love to see the residents along the route, or if they can show their support by buying a T-shirt, that’d be great, too. The Special Olympics is such a worthy cause, and we’re happy to have strong Department support for the fourth year in a row.”

T-shirts are available for a $10 donation at the Police Department, but whatever you can give will enhance this very positive experience for the Special Olympics athletes.

For more information on Edina's participation in the event, contact Detective Erik Amundson at 952-826-0471. For more information on the Special Olympics, visit www.specialolympicsminnesota.org.
 

	You'll need version 3.01 or later of Adobe Acrobat Reader™ to view and print this document.
Route	Open a map showing the Police Department's route for the Torch Run.

Safe & Sober

Spring Fever Arrives

Edina, Minn., April 2008 -- During the month of April, the Edina Police Department will emphasize speed enforcement in the Safe & Sober “Spring Fever” campaign. Between 2004 and 2006, there were 464 deaths in Minnesota in which speed was a contributing factor and each year there are about 7,000 injuries related to speeding.

Sgt. Tom Draper heads the Edina Traffic Unit and encourages drivers not to exceed the posted limit. “Speeding traffic is a common complaint from our residents. We’ll be conducting enhanced speed enforcement to address that issue and also because the most common factor in fatal crashes is excessive speed," he said. “We want to reduce the number of deaths as well as injuries.”

Safe & Sober is an educational and enforcement program administered by the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. For more information, contact Draper at 952-826-1610 or see the OTS website at www.dps.state.mn.us/ots/.

Third Graders become 'Junior' Police

For more than 30 years, Edina elementary school children have participated in the Junior Police program, sponsored by the Edina Morningside Rotary Club. This program introduces children to some basic safety ideas and is an opportunity to meet and talk with an officer from the Edina Police Department.

This year, six Edina police officers, including Officer Brian Hubbard, volunteered to teach the short program (two one-hour visits to third-grade classrooms). Hubbard enjoyed the interaction with the kids and noted, “They had quite a bit of interest in the typical daily duties of an officer, and it was fun to field their questions and provide a realistic view of law enforcement, in contrast to what they see on TV.” Kids are given an activity workbook on the first visit, complete it and bring it back the next week when they receive their “badges” and have their fingerprints taken.

For more information about the Junior Police program, contact Officer Mike Seeger at 952-826-1610.

Freezin' For a Reason

On Saturday, March 15, three stalwart members of the Edina Police Department jumped into the icy waters of Round Lake in Eden Prairie to raise money for the Minnesota Special Olympics.

Sgt. Brian Tholen, Det. Tom McKenzie and Communications Specialist Tony Martin participated in the first-ever Eden Prairie Plunge, one of 11 Polar Bear Plunges held by law enforcement around Minnesota January through March. The Eden Prairie Plunge raised more than $39,000 through the efforts of more than 180 hardy plungers.

The Polar Bear Plunge is part of the larger Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics. See the Special Olympics website for more information.

Regional K9 Narcotics Trials Held in Edina

On Sunday, March 16, the United States Police Canine Association held its annual Regional Narcotics Trials. Hosted by the Edina Police Department, the Trials involved 61 dogs and handlers from the Minnesota State Patrol and police departments and sheriffs’ offices from North Dakota, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

This eight-hour event was held in two locations -- the room searches were conducted at FilmTec in Edina and the vehicle searches at Kustom Karriers in Minnetonka. The event involved a timed search for each dog and handler team to locate narcotics hidden in an office and a second search among several vehicles. The dogs were looking for marijuana, cocaine, crack and/or methamphetamines.

Both Edina K9s, Kodiak with Officer Kevin Rofidal and Diesel with Officer Mike Seeger, placed in the top 5 percent - Kodiak and Officer Rofidal will go on to the National Certification in May in Tennessee. Top honors went to Obie and Officer Judson Broen of the Bloomington Police Department, and second place to Vosco and Deputy Dan Rockensock with the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office.

The Police Department thanks Laurie and Bob at Kustom Karriers and Kurt Buchanan at FilmTec for their generosity and assistance with this event. For more information about Edina K9s Diesel and Kodiak, please contact Sgt. Tom Draper at 952-826-1610.

Reward Offered

The Edina Crime Prevention Fund is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the apprehension, arrest and conviction of the person responsible for   Jan. 15, 2008 robbery at Lund's Foods, 3945 W. 50^th St, Edina.

The suspect is a white male, 18 to 23 years of age, 5-foot-nine to 6-foot-one, 140 pounds, and was wearing a hooded brown sweatshirt/jacket with words on the front and a circular logo or patch on the right sleeve. He might have had a red hooded sweatshirt underneath the brown one.

This individual is also a suspect in recent Minneapolis robberies.  

The Fund is the sole judge of any point of contention regarding the reward, and its decision on any issue connected with the reward is final.

If you have any information regarding this person or incident, contact Deputy Chief of Police Jeff Long at 952-826-1600, 24 hours a day. Your identity may remain confidential.

Missing Person Found

At approximately 11 a.m. Nov. 2, the Edina Police Department received confirmation that Scott Michael Tridgell had been found near Menomonie, Wis., at a rest stop along Interstate Highway 94.

Tridgell’s Toyota Tacoma truck was noticed by a Minnesota resident who had seen the Wednesday, Oct. 31, media coverage on his disappearance and phoned the Menomonie Police Department. Responding Menomonie officers found Tridgell asleep in the vehicle. Tridgell appears to be physically good but very confused.

DWI Enforcement

During the month of December, the Edina Police Department will be emphasizing DWI enforcement as part of the Minnesota Safe and Sober program. “Especially during the holiday party season, we encourage people who drink to do so responsibly and to designate a non-drinking driver. In 2006, a record-high 41,832 motorists were arrested for DWI in our state,” said Sgt. Tom Draper, who heads the Edina Traffic Unit. “We want safe roads and sober drivers, and that’s what December’s effort is designed to encourage,” added Draper.

Safe and Sober is an educational and enforcement program administered by the Office of Traffic Safety of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. For more information, contact Sgt. Draper at 952-826-1610 or see the Office of Traffic Safety website at http://www.dps.state.mn.us/ots/.