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09 04 15 JTF1 1 The latest from the Mendota Heights Police Department CHIEF Mike Aschenbrener SERGEANTS Eric Petersen Tanner Spicer Peyton Fleming Bobby Lambert POLICE OFFICERS Jerry Murphy John Larrive Todd Rosse Jeff VonFeldt Steven Meyer Denise Urmann Michael Shepard Nick Gorgos Robin Nelson Steve Hilyar Phillip McCarty INVESTIGATIONS Chad Willson SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER Jennifer Fordham SUPPORT STAFF Kim Henning Trista Miller Lisa Brandt Becky Pentel RESERVES Randy Pentel Jim Knox Jeff Parker CHAPLAINS Butch Millett John Snider Alberto Vargas Lynn Liberman Sue Plucker Joel Detlefsen Lenny Andrie SEPTEMBER 04, 2015 STOP ARM VIOLATIONS Walk with your kids to the bus stop and wait with them unƟl it arrives. Tell kids to stand at least three giant steps back from the curb as the bus approaches and board the bus one at a Ɵme. Teach kids to wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before geƫng off and never to walk behind the bus. If your child needs to cross the street aŌer exiƟng the bus, he or she should take ﬁve giant steps in front of the bus, make eye contact with the bus driver and cross when the driver indicates its safe. Teach kids to look leŌ, right and leŌ again before crossing the street. Drivers— follow the speed limit and slow down in school zones and near bus stops. Stay alert and look for kids who may be trying to get to or from the school bus. Slow down and stop if you’re driving near a school bus that is ﬂashing yellow or red lights. This means the bus is either preparing to stop (yellow) or already stopped (red), and children are geƫng on or off. Source: www.safekids.org Did you know that if you pass a stopped school bus with it ﬂashing lights acƟvated and students are boarding or exiƟng the bus, you could be taken to jail?! According to Minnesota State Statute 169.444 subdivision 1: the driver of a vehicle approaching the bus shall stop the vehicle at least 20 feet away from the bus. The vehicle driver shall not allow the vehicle to move unƟl the school bus stop‐signal arm is retracted and the red lights are no longer ﬂashing. Subdivision 1a states: No person may pass or aƩempt to pass a school bus in a motor vehicle on the right‐hand, passenger‐door side of a the bus when the school bus is display‐ ing the pre‐warning ﬂashing amber signals. ViolaƟng the above is a misdemeanor and is punishable by a ﬁne of not less than $300. A driver is guilty of a gross misdemeanor if the person fails to stop a motor vehicle or to keep it stopped and commits either or both of the following acts: (1) passes or aƩempts to pass the school bus in a vehicle on the right‐hand, passenger‐door side of the bus; or (2) passes or aƩempts to pass the school bus in a vehicle when a school child is outside of and on the street or highway used by the school bus or on the adjacent sidewalk. Let’s conƟnue to pay aƩenƟon to our driving out there and especially over these next couple of weeks as we get back into the swing of the school year! 2 2 FRAUD THURSDAY 1200 HOURS A resident arrived in our police lobby to report fraudulent attempts to open accounts. Officer Jenny Ford- ham learned from the RP that someone used his information to open three lines of credit. Fortunately his financial institutions caught on quickly to the fraudulent use of his information, stopped the transactions and reported the information to him. He also reported had been a victim of a recent company data breach. Lucki- ly, he was not out any funds and he is improving security for his identity and credit. HIT & RUN FRIDAY 0853 HOURS Officer Phil McCarty responded to our lobby to take and report of a hit and run. The RP stated that while in the turn lane at Hwy 55, he began accelerating and thought a vehicle hit him, but wasn’t positive. The vehicle that was in position to have hit him was a tan Pontiac, which continued around him to the Hwy 55 bridge without stopping. Upon checking his vehicle, he found significant damage to the back of it. The victim did get a plate number and Officer McCarty is attempted to make contact with the owner. THEFT FRIDAY 1319 HOURS A homeowner called to let us know his unlocked vehicle had been gone thru overnight. Upon arrival, Offic- ers McCarty and Fordham learned that not only was it gone thru, but $1000 in cash was stolen, $32,000 in uncashed checks and deposit slips, copper wiring and several tools. A short time after the call came in, anoth- er Found Property call was received from a teacher who had found the checks and deposit slips in the grass near their school while on a walk. Case is under investigation. HARRASSMENT FRIDAY 1742 HOURS A woman informed Officer Robin Nelson an ex-boyfriend, who was now just a friend, was sending her un- wanted text messages. When she informed him she wanted to remain just friends, he kept pushing and she asked him to stop contacting her. However, contact continued to the point where he was stalking her at work and informing her via someone else’s phone that he was dead. Officer Nelson contacted him and told him to cease contact or legal ramifications would follow. Nothing further. DOMESTIC ASSAULT FRIDAY 2014 HOURS Officer Nelson and Sergeant Bobby Lambert responded to call of a suicidal male with a firearm who had left in a vehicle. West St Paul officers also responded to assist the search for the vehicle and the man. The report- ing party was an off-duty officer who had found the man’s wife in the street seeking help and was attempting to follow the vehicle. West St Paul Officer Elam began interviewing the man’s wife and learned that while at her mother’s house, her husband became upset when she asked him to blow into a PBT, a requirement for him to see his kids. He became irate, pushed her, and made threatening statements and then left. The kids, who witnessed his behavior, were taken out of the house by the grandparents. The husband returned, and when told to leave, he refused. He did blow into the PBT, which had a result of .10 and was told he could not be with the children. He became upset and made suicidal comments, and headed to a room where ammo is stored; the scared wife left the building. She was found by the off-duty officer and while ensuring her safety, the suspect exited the house and got in his car and began following their vehicle. The officer made his way toward the police department, believing the suspect was armed, but the suspect suddenly left the chase and the area. He was soon found back at his mother’s home and arrested for domestic assault. Cleared by arrest. 3 3 THEFT SUNDAY 1526 HOURS While on patrol near a gas station, Officer John Larrive observed an attendant keenly watching a customer at the pump and advised the officer he was going to steal gas. Officer Larrive ran the plates; they did not match the vehicle they were attached to. He approached the driver and soon learned from the man that he was the owner, he could not explain the plate discrepancy, admitted he did not having a valid license and admitted he couldn’t pay for the gas he had pumped. He was placed under arrest, for the theft and for the outstanding warrant. Before the vehicle was towed, it was searched; Officer Larrive found two other citations for theft of gas and driving while suspended along with paperwork for the correct vehicle plate, and the actual license plate next to a screw gun. He also found the plate currently on the vehicle had been lightly screwed on. The man was booked at the jail for his misdemeanor charges. Cleared by Arrest. AOA/THEFT SUNDAY 0847 HOURS Officers John Larrive and Sergeant Eric Petersen responded to assist Hudson, WI on tracking a Chevy Silverado used in a burglary that registered to an address in our city. On the way to the residence, the vehicle was spotted at a gas station. Upon attempting identification of the occupants, he learned the adult male and female occupants had abandoned the vehicle there about 15 minute prior, but had been in and out of the store many times while there. Upon running the VIN, it came back as a stolen out of Wright County. Sergeant Petersen remained at the vehicle while Officer Larrive then proceeded to the home he was originally headed toward. He learned thru discussion with the homeowner and verifying state records that there was an issue with the plates. The theft was then reported as a separated incident; case remains under investigation. THEFT OF GAS MONDAY 1700 HOURS Officer Steve Hilyar learned of a gas drive off that had just occurred; dispatch ran the plate that was given and reported it was a stolen vehicle our of Hastings. Officer Hilyar attempted to find the vehicle but was unsuccessful. Further information and investigation with Hastings PD led to suspect information. Case under investigation. SOLICITOR TUESDAY 1657 HOURS A resident called to report a suspicious male in a neighborhood who was possibly soliciting. He found the male party who admitted he was selling magazine subscriptions but had not registered with the city. Upon checking his identification, Hilyar found the male had two warrants for violations of other solicitor laws. The warrants were confirmed and the male party was taken to jail to satisfy the warrants. FRAUD WEDNESDAY 0910 HOURS Officer Rosse took a report of possible fraudulent checks that were attempted to be passed at a bank. The reporting party stated he had recently ordered checks but had not received them; now it seemed the checks had been stolen and were being used. Case under investigation. THEFT WEDNESDAY 1724 HOURS Officer Larrive was dispatched to a gas drive off that had just occurred where the vehicle had just left, de- scribed as a silver Jeep with a single black door. He was near the reported direction of travel at the time and was able to catch up to the vehicle. The vehicle matched the description and the plate matched the vehicle. Officer Larrive initiated the traffic stop and advised the driver she was under arrest for theft. Initially, when asked if she knew why she was under arrest, the driver had nothing to say. However, upon being placed into the squad, she began to speak freely, admitting she stole the gas and knew she should have paid for it, but de- cided to use the money for cigarettes instead. She was cited for theft of gas and transported to the jail to be booked. Her vehicle was impounded. Cleared by arrest. 4 4 5 5 08/28‐ 09/03 2015 YTD Calls for Service 1063 4887 Citations 14 379 Warnings 13 500 Police Reports 22 758 Response Time Average 5.78 5.43 Check out the MH Crime Map! Click below to search your neighborhood: https://www.raidsonline.com 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights, MN 55118 If you are a Mendota Heights resident and you are going out of town or on vacation, you can notify MHPD of your outing and we will be more than happy to keep a watchful eye on your home while you are away. The House Check Request online form is available on our website; you can complete a form found in our lobby, or simply give us a call and we’ll help you out. MHPD offers monthly Car Seat Safety Checks. To schedule an appointment, call 651.452.1366 to contact Ofϐicer Jennifer Fordham. MHPD has a Medication Disposal Box in the lobby of the PD where Dakota County residents can safely and anonymously dispose of their prescription drugs and over‐the‐counter medication. Please send us your positive feedback on our staff to: pdrecords@ mendota-heights.com Your feedback is greatly appreciated and helps boost the morale of our staff. HAVE A SAFE WEEK! 2014 Crash Facts 78,396 crashes reported to DPS 143,681 motor vehicles and 190,070 people involved in these crashes 361 people died and 29,439 people were injured EsƟmated economic cost to MN $1,604,051,900 On An Average Day: 215 crashes 1 death, 81 injuries Average daily cost to MN $4,394,663 Alcohol‐Related Stats: 3,453 crashes 111 deaths, 2,040 injuries EsƟmated economic cost to MN $214,934,000 For more detailed informaƟon on crash facts, please CLICK HERE PLEASE BE SAFE ON OUR ROADWAYS