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The Mendota
50"' Anniversary of MHPD
Heights Police
Dakota County was formed in 1849 and Mendota Township was
Department
formed in 1858, being the first of twenty townships in the county,
and having a population of 454. Mendota Township was
Support Staff
incorporated on July 8, 1887 and the first mayor, was elected.
Kim Hemung
Sandie Ristine
The township slowly grew until the 1950's when the population
Susan Donovan
growth became rapid. As such, there appeared to be an immediate
Becky Pentel
need for community planning and an anticipated need for a change
Police Officers
in government form. In 1956, the Village of Mendota Heights was
Jerry Murphy
formed and the citizens elected Robert Edman as the first mayor.
Scott Patrick
John Larrive
Lilydale and Mendota remained separate from Mendota Heights in
Bobby Lambert
government and policing of their villages. Law enforcement
Tanner Spicer
Todd Rosse
coverage for the Village of Mendota Heights in 1956 was provided
Chad Willson
by the Dakota County Sheriff's Department. In 1956 Mendota
Steven Byer
Steven Meyer
Heights did have two town constables who served the community
Denise Uniann
on a part time basis prior to the implementation of a full time police
Michael Shepard
department. The constables were elected officials who wore
Peyton Fleming
uniforms, carried badges and weapons. The constables used their
School Resource Officer
home telephones, with their numbers listed in the phone book as
JenniferFordham
the only true means of contacting them. Later they could be
Investigations
contacted by calling the Dakota County Sheriff's Department. The
Alario Reyes
constables had normal daytime jobs and provided their services
Tanner Spicer
whenever they were called for help. Constable Don Dehan and
Sergeants
Constable Don Lesher were the two town constables prior to the
Neil Garlock
implementation of the Mendota Heights Police Department.
Brian Convery
Eric Petersen
Eventually, Don Lesher became a Mendota Heights Police Officer.
In April of 1962 the Mendota Heights Police Department was
Reserves
Randy Pentel
formed when the City Council hired Edwin Fuller to be the first
y
JesseMettner
Police Chief. He was sworn in and let go the next day when the
Jarrod Spicer
Council learned of a state law that prohibited an Officer from being
Jim Knox
Jeff Parker
a registered voter in another state. In April of 1962 Martin Baldwin,
George Castillo
a South Saint Paul Police Detective Sergeant was hired as the first
Chaplains
Chief. In August of that year, Officer Floyd Arndt, Officer Gene
John snider
Lange and Officer Don Lesher were hired as full time Police
LynnLibenian
Officers for the City of Mendota Heights.
Frances Colon
Alberto Vargas
As we move into the 50th year we will try to provide some
Butch Millett
interesting history tidbits about MHPD.
David Wick
Medical Wednesday 1112 hours
Chief
Mike Aschenbrener
It is rare that you get dispatched to "a pain in the neck" call. Sgt
Neil Garlock received the call and responded to help an 80 YOA
01/06/12
resident who had been experiencing acute pain for hours. HealthEast transported to the
hospital for care.
Welfare Check Wednesday 1920 hours
Officer Steve Meyer received a request to check on a 75 YOA for her son as she was
not answering the phone. Officer Meyer responded and interrupted a lively card game
in progress at the dining room table; he reported back to the concerned son. Cleared.
Rabid Raccoon Thursday 1136 hours
Officer Jen Fordham received a call of a sick raccoon in the driveway. The raccoon was
sick and was put out of its misery. The homeowner took care of disposal.
Crisis Thursday 1237 hours
A local business called when an employee began threatening to commit suicide at work.
Sgt Garlock, along with Officers Rosse, Fordham and Investigator Spicer, responded
and requested that HealthEast Paramedics standby until everything was safe. The
worker was calm and polite; she was just stressed out over her new job. A short time
later she was transported to the hospital on a 72 hour health and welfare hold.
Commercial Burglary Saturday 0700 hours
Caribou Coffee called to report a neighboring business was missing a window. Officer
Fleming arrived and found that the employees thought it happened before they arrived
at 0530 hours. The burglars broke in and made off with the safe, never activating the
alarm system. Hmmm? Investigator Tanner Spicer will be looking for similarities with
the other commercial burglaries we have experienced.
Personal Injury Accident Saturday 2238 hours
Officer Denise Urmann responded to a roll over crash on Hwy 13 at Lexington. All six
occupants made it out of the car okay; one received some cuts. First aid provided; MSP
wrote the crash.
Hit & Run DUI Sunday 0202 hours
A man ran out of a local parking lot to flag down Officer Peyton Fleming the man quickly
relayed that a set of tail lights just going out of sight belonged to a truck that backed into
a car in the parking and left. Officer Fleming caught up with the trucks moments later,
stopping it on Hwy 13 near the St Paul border. Guess what! The driver had been
drinking (gasp!) and was really not in any shape to try SFST's but he did give them a
valiant, but failed, attempt. The last test was the PBT, which revealed a BAC of .15.
The man was arrested, read the MN Implied Consent Advisory, submitted to the test
and was transported to the DC Jail to be booked and released. Formal charging will
occur when the test results come back from the BCA lab.
Suspicious Activity Tuesday 0325 hours
A local paper delivery person flagged down Officer Steve Meyer to check a home with
tire tracks up to the door and no one home. The home was checked and nothing was
found. That is the paper guy you want working for you!
Lift Assist Wednesday 0141 hours
Officer Urmann responded to a local home when a man became stuck in the tub and his
wife called for help getting him up. Assist provided. Clear.
Really Thursday 0022 hours
Officer Shepard interrupted a couple having sexual relations in a parking lot. When he
attempted to have them provide ID and make sure the actions were consensual, they
became argumentative. Turns out they were married -just not to each other - and didn't
want anyone to know what was going on.
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