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08 05 16 JTF 1 The latest from the Mendota Heights Police Department CHIEF Mike Aschenbrener SERGEANTS Eric Petersen Tanner Spicer Peyton Fleming POLICE OFFICERS John Larrive Todd Rosse Jeff VonFeldt 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 Shayna Hoechst Becky Pentel RESERVES Randy Pentel Jim Knox Jeff Parker Jon Clayton Dan Iverson CHAPLAINS Butch Millett John Snider Alberto Vargas Lynn Liberman Sue Plucker Joel Detlefsen Lenny Andrie AUGUST 5, 2016 FIRST ELECTRONIC TRAFFIC SIGNALS On August 5th, 1914 the world’s first electric traffic signal was put in place on the corner of Euclid Avenue and East 105th Street in Cleveland, Ohio. In the earliest days of the automobile, navigating America’s roads was a chaotic experience, with pedestrians, bicycles, horses and streetcars all competing with motor vehicles for right of way. The problem was alleviated somewhat with the gradual disappearance of horse-drawn carriages, but even before World War I it had become clear that a system of regulations was necessary to keep traffic moving and reduce the number of accidents on the roads. As Christopher Finch writes in his “Highways to Heaven: The AUTO Biography of America” (1992), the first traffic island was put into use in San Francisco, California in 1907; left-hand drive became standard in American cars in 1908; the first center painted dividing line appeared in 1911, in Michigan; and the first “No Left Turn” sign would debut in Buffalo, New York, in 1916. Source- http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-electric-traffic-signal-installed Minnesota's "No Texting while Driving" Law It is illegal for drivers to read/compose/send text messages and emails, or access the Internet using a wireless device while the vehicle is in motion or a part of traffic —including stopped in traffic or at a traffic light. This also includes accessing social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snap- chat etc. Cell phone use is totally banned for school bus drivers. Cell phone use is also totally banned for teen drivers during their permit and provisional license stages. STAY ALIVE & DO NOT TEXT AND DRIVE! 2 DRUG PARAPHERNALIA SUNDAY 1833 HOURS Officer Nick Gorgos and Officer Jeff VonFeldt responded to a report of a man down at a local intersection. Upon arrival the Officers found a man on the ground next to a tree. After speaking with the male, the officers became suspicious of narcotics use do to the responses the man was giving. Officers searched the male and drug paraphernalia was found. The man was cited and released. SUSPICION SUNDAY 2059 HOURS Officer Jeff VonFeldt responded to a call regarding an incident where someone attempted to go in a victims apartment. The victim reported that while sitting in her living room she heard someone trying to open her front door. Just before she opened the door, thinking it was her boyfriend, she looked out the peephole and noticed a female at her door. When the victim opened the door the woman ran out the doors of the building. The victim wanted to report the suspicious activity due to her apartment being broken into while she was out of town a few months earlier. MISSING PERSON/ATTEMPT TO LOCATE MONDAY 0028 HOURS Officer Nick Gorgos responded to a call of a concerned mother regarding her adult son not returning home. The mother reported that she was concerned after not being able to make contact with her son and his phone going straight to voicemail which was not normal behavior for him. A KOPS alert was issued for the son. Later in the day, Officer Denise Urmann made contact with the family and learned that the son was now home safe and that he had checked himself in to an area hospital. KOPS alert was cancelled. THEFT OF MAIL MONDAY 1342 HOURS Officer Denise Urmann responded to a local residence regarding a theft of mail report. The victims said that they had been gone for a few days and that when they returned home they noticed that their mailbox door was down and the box was empty. The victims were unsure what if any mail was taken but wanted to report it. The victims were also going to contact the association to notify other residents, due to numerous other mailboxes being open on the same side of the street. AOA MONDAY 1633 HOURS Sergeant Tanner Spicer and Investigator Chad Willson responded to the MHPD lobby regarding a party who wanted to turn himself in for felony crimes. The party admitted to swindling thousands of dollars from a number of parties. The crimes were determined unreported at the time and all had occurred in other jurisdictions. Contact was made with the agencies involved and ultimately the Washington County Sheriffs took custody of the party after an initial report was made in the city of Newport. DOMESTIC/AOA TUESDAY 2050 HOURS Officer Jenny Fordham and Sergeant Peyton Fleming responded to assist in locating a watercraft on the river from which 911 was called in regards to a possible domestic. After locating the watercraft, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office investigated and determined there was no assault and that both parties were intoxicated and needed to be separated for the evening. MHPD then assisted by transporting one of the parties to a hotel. 3 07/29-08/04 2016 YTD Calls for Service 145 5,184 Citations 7 489 Warnings 12 488 Police Reports 14 600 Response Time Average 4.95 5.16 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 or email jennyf@mendota-heights.com to contact Officer 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 HAVE A SAFE WEEK! CALL 9-1-1 FOR ANY RESPONSE EMERGENCY OR NON-EMERGENCY 24 HRS A DAY Residents should call 9-1-1 any time they need Police, Fire or an Ambulance to respond. But it’s after hours! Now what do I do? If you arrive at the Police Department and find the door locked, but you have an urgent question or situation, you can use the phone located in the police (lower level) vestibule and connect directly with Dakota County Dispatch.