Current Events

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.

Police Department seeks help in identifying suspects

Edina, Minn., Oct. 27, 2008 -- The Edina Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying the individuals in the photo below. These suspects used a stolen credit card (from an October 25/26 Edina burglary) at a Brooklyn Park Target store, and were seen driving a light-colored tan/beige or silver SUV. The suspects are described as two black males in their late teens or early 20s.

Three residential burglaries occurred overnight Saturday, Oct. 25-Sunday, Oct. 26 in Edina near 60th Street and Ewing Avenue, and two of the three involved cut window screens. This type of entry was also used in August and September in burglaries in the Morningside area of Edina. Police Chief Mike Siitari reminds residents to “…lock ground floor windows and all doors, leave outdoor lights on, and call 9-1-1 any time you see or hear anything suspicious.”

The Edina Crime Prevention Fund is offering a reward of up to $3,000 for information leading to the apprehension, arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for these recent Edina burglaries. 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 these burglaries or suspects, contact Chief of Police Mike Siitari at 952-826-1600, 24 hours a day. Your identity may remain confidential.

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 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.
 

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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.