08 30 13 JTF1
The latest from the Mendota Heights Police Department
SUPPORT STAFF
Kim Henning
Trista Miller
Becky Pentel
POLICE OFFICERS
Jerry Murphy
Scott Patrick
John Larrive
Bobby Lambert
Tanner Spicer
Todd Rosse
Chad Willson
Jeff Vonfeldt
Steven Meyer
Denise Urmann
Michael Shepard
Peyton Fleming
SCHOOL RESOURCE OFC.
Jennifer Fordham
INVESTIGATIONS
Mario Reyes
Chad Willson
SERGEANTS
Neil Garlock
Brian Convery
Eric Petersen
RESERVES
Randy Pentel
Jarrod Spicer
Jim Knox
Jeff Parker
George Castillo
CHAPLAINS
Frances Cuenca
Joel Detlefsen
Lynn Liberman
Butch Millett
Sue Plucker
John Snider
David Wick
CHIEF
Mike Aschenbrener
To Enter: Mail, Fax or Drop-Off the registration form below
by: 09/09/13
TO: Mendota Heights Police Department
1101 Victoria Curve
ATT: Records
Mendota Heights, MN 55118
Phone (651) 452‐1366; Fax (651) 452‐2995
Then, keep your eyes peeled ...
The winner of the drawing will be posted in the 9/13 issue of Just The Facts!
If you’re the lucky winner, contact the PD to schedule your event.
AUGUST 30, 2013
Name:
Address:
Phone:
Email:
Mendota Heights Police Department enjoys every opportunity to meet with local
children & parents in order to forge positive bonds between police and community
members. We are therefore offering a chance to win a tour of the Police Depart-
ment and spend a few minutes talking with a Police Ofϐicer.
Our package event includes the chance for up to 6 children and their parents to
tour the department and have a donut & juice (& of course coffee) while chatting
with a cop. The department usually donates this opportunity a few times annually
to various Mendota Heights non-proϐits to be auctioned as a prize. The tour and
donut devouring takes about 45 minutes; scheduling is ϐlexible. The parents typi-
cally love it as much (if not more) as the kids do, and everyone always has great
questions.
Mendota Heights PD ~ Coffee, Juice & Donuts
2
Police Ofϐicer
Bobby Lambert
was promoted to
Dakota County Multi‐
Agency Assistance
Group (MAAG)
Team Commander!
Ofϐicer Lambert started
with the team in 2000
when he started out as the
battering ram, ‘er, the
“Manual Breacher,” then
the “Ballistic Shield Oper-
ator,” and into many other
team leadership roles,
steadily climbing his way
up to the lead position.
MAAG has been a great
outlet for Ofϐicer Lambert
to demonstrate his skill
and knowledge as he
helped coordinate and
plan emergency response
protocols for schools and
businesses to implement,
and became more in-
volved in MAAG team
administrative roles in-
cluding budgets, stafϐing
and planning.
Congrats to Ofϐicer
Lambert and thanks to the
entire MAAG team
(including our own Inv.
Chad Willson)
for all you do.
Vandalism Wednesday 1915 hours
Officer Todd Rosse responded to a residence where a caller reported her neighbor’s car
had been vandalized. Upon arrival, he learned the caller noticed the vehicle had been
pegged by rocks, probably from a wrist rocket, and the front door window was broken.
The neighbor advised she would have the neighbors report it to the PD when they re-
turned. The caller had not heard or witnessed anything. Cleared call
Broken Wings Wednesday 1908 hours
Sergeant Eric Petersen responded to yet another call about a goose with a broken wing.
The business-folk were concerned for its survival. They asked for a box, assistance getting
it into the box and a transport to a wildlife refuge. For many reasons, we do not assist
with wild animals unless they are an imminent threat. The RP was not too happy with
Sgt Petersen’s advice, “Let nature take its course.” Cleared call.
Wrong Way! Wednesday 2317 hours
Just like in “Planes, Trains & Automobiles,” people were yelling, “You’re going the
wrong way!” Well, maybe they didn’t yell it at them, but there’s a good chance there
were at least a few freaked out people looking at headlights coming straight at them!
Officer Denise Urmann assisted MSP in the area of Robert St & Hwy 110 with the call.
Suspicious Person Thursday 0234 hours
Officer Tanner Spicer checked out a vehicle parked behind a building outside of busi-
ness hours. Upon approach, he found a gent passed out in the vehicle, sleeping it off.
When he was directed to just go home and go to bed, he simply walked across the street
to his residence. Very convenient. No charges, nothing further.
Gas & Go Thursday 0804 hours
We just can’t write about this topic enough. This time, the reporting party didn’t think
the drive off was intentional, as the caller had been on their phone, and it appeared that
when the call ended, they simply took off and probably just forgot to pay. Sergeant Gar-
lock is following up to get the rest of the story.
Healthy & Productive! Thursday 1031 hours
After his shift was over, Officer Tanner Spicer hit the pavement to complete his insanity
workout. While running the paths nearby, he spotted the remnants of someone’s back-
pack or purse laying nearby. He then ran back to the PD with the found property and
upon seeing the materials belonged to an Eagan resident, he called Eagan PD and
learned the owner had reported her purse stolen on 8/22. Eagan PD soon took posses-
sion of the property, and Officer Spicer’s work/workout was complete.
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.
3
“Deep
Thoughts”
Why isn’t “11”
pronounced
“one-ty one?”
When cheese gets
its picture taken,
what does it say?
If a pig loses its
voice, is it
disgruntled?
Why are they
called apartments
if they’re stuck to-
gether?
Why is it called the
airport “terminal”
if flying is safe?
Why is the man
who invests your
money called a
“broker?”
Why do you park
in a driveway
and drive in a
parkway?
From Will & Guy’s
Humour -www.guy-sports.com
Tough Duty Thursday 1233 hours
Some days, it’s rough being a Police Officer, or a social worker. Sergeant Eric Petersen
escorted a social worker to a home to fulfill a court order to remove the children from
the home and helped ensure their safe transport to a foster home.
Hit & Run/AOA Saturday 0234 hours
Officers Spicer and Urmann responded to a caller who reported his foot had been run
over by a car. They arrived at the residence and found the victim lying on a couch with
a badly injured foot and soon learned the incident happened at a bar in West St Paul.
Evidently, the victim had been in a verbal fight and when leaving the bar, someone ran
over his foot—by an “unknown” vehicle and an “unknown” suspect. The victim refused
to give up any information and his friends stated they didn’t witness it. West St Paul
officers soon arrived and took over the investigation. Officers cleared.
DWI Saturday 1749 hours
Officer Peyton Fleming heard WSP officers dispatched to a driving complaint near our
city borders. Evidently the vehicle was all over the road, until he stopped to urinate
along the side of the road. Based on direction of travel, Officer Fleming was soon able
to locate the big pick-up, weaving all over the road, and initiated the traffic stop. The
smell of alcohol wafted out the window, and his attempts to produce ID and insurance
proved quite difficult. Of course, when asked how much he had to drink, he replied,
“Two.” So, testing was initiated, but when he began the Walk & Turn test, he was una-
ble to stand to begin it, stating, “C’mon, you know I’m drunk!” Testing was stopped
and he blew a PBT of .213. They must have been two very strong drinks. He was arrest-
ed and booked for DWI at the DC Jail .
DAR/No Insurance Saturday 2316 hours
Officer Urmann stopped to assist a man walking down the road with his gas can. He
soon informed her that he not only ran out of gas, but he also was driving on a revoked
license. She also soon found out the vehicle had been recently purchased and did not
have insurance or any proof of ownership. The vehicle was impounded.
Thefts of Gas All week
Did we mention we have been taking a lot of theft of gas reports? We’ve also been tak-
ing a lot of delayed reports, which in total generated 9 reports from 8/24—8/28, one of
which was unfounded and one may have been in error.
AOA/Hit & Run Monday 1544 hours
While on patrol, Officer Jenny Fordham was flagged down by a motorist who stated he
had just been hit but the suspect had fled the area. He provided a good description of
4
If you are a Mendota
Heights resident and
you are going out of
town/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; we
have similar forms in
the MHPD lobby and
we will take your info
over the phone.
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.
the damaged vehicle/tire and told her he already called 911 & MSP was en route. Of-
ficer Fordham was quickly able to find the vehicle, due to the scrape marks left behind
from the tire rim; it was in a nearby parking lot. The man had evidently tried to zip in-
to a private underground parking facility, but when confronted by the caretaker, he
turned around and pulled into the lot. Witnesses had already gathered and had
watched the man enter the lot, pick up pieces of his vehicle, and prepare to leave again.
When Officer Fordham approached him, he was barely coherent or able to stand while
outside of his barely functioning vehicle, and he appeared impaired. MSP arrived and
took over to perform SFST’s—he ended up blowing a .218. Referred to MSP. Officer
cleared.
Car vs Raccoons Wednesday 0004 hours
Officer VonFeldt responded to a one vehicle accident with no injuries. He found the car
and driver and saw one of the front tires was bent under the vehicle and the passenger
side was damaged. The driver had swerved to avoid hitting some raccoons and hit the
curb instead. Officer cleared.
Theft of Gas Wednesday 0159 hours
While at a local gas station, the attendant informed him of a past-action gas drive off
that had occurred. They even provided video surveillance and good suspect and vehicle
description. However, upon viewing the video, he was able to see the “suspect” had
come in to pay his bill and the transaction appeared normal. He checked with staff and
they did indeed see the past transaction. Unfounded.
Harassment Wednesday 1640 hours
Officer Lambert took a report from a resident who was getting some strange and un-
wanted phone calls. The number was coming from a Texas area code and coming to her
cell phone. The man, who spoke Spanish, asked for her by name and then told her he
needed info about “the coyote.” “Coyote” is a term often used to describe someone who
smuggles Latin Americans across the border. She took three more calls where the man
became more upset and threatening and she called officers. Officers retrieve the needed
info and then advised her to work with her provider to block her phone or change her
number and call if any other suspicious calls or activity occurred. Forwarded to investi-
gations.
If you or anyone else you know is of interest in subscribing to the Just The Facts Newsletter:
Please Email: pdrecords@mendota-heights.com
Newsletters are emailed out every Friday.
5
08/21‐08/30 2013 YTD
Calls for Service 165 5775
Citations 18 1048
Warnings 16 906
Police Reports 19 711
Response Time Average 5.63 5.12
Submitted By: Police Ofϐicer Bobby Lambert
Have a Safe Week!
Where did the slang word “cop” come from? Some of us have been led to believe that the term “cop” is an ac-
ronym for Constable On Patrol or Citizen On Patrol, which dates back to London, England in the early 1800’s.
Others have been told that the term comes from the copper-made badges worn by New York City police ofϐicers.
While both stories seem plausible, “Myth Busters” would prove that neither is factual.
In English language, the word “cop” when used as a verb means “to take or seize.” It wasn’t until the mid-19th
century that it started being used as a casual term for “police ofϐicer.” In 1844, “cop” took on the meaning “to ar-
rest” and quickly morphed from being a verb to a noun by referring to the one “capturing or taking someone into
police custody.” By 1846, police ofϐicers were being referred to as “coppers” because they were the ones doing
the seizing and/or arresting, and by 1859, folks shortened the term “coppers” to “cops” and the slang term has
stuck ever since. Now you know!
What is with a “cops” love of donuts? The love affair between police ofϐicers and donuts really blossomed in
the 1950s when ofϐicers reduced foot-patrol and started patrolling in squad cars. Those working overnights
would often stop into local donut shops for a caffeine ϐilled coffee and a snack to catch up on some paperwork or
to just say, “Hi.” Donut shops were one of the few places open outside normal business/daytime hours. Store
owners enjoyed having ofϐicers stop in and wouldn’t charge them for their stay in appreciation for the added se-
curity they provided. This relationship, which continued for decades, gave rise to the misconception that police
ofϐicers are addicted to donuts. Maybe we still are, a little bit, but then who isn’t?
So please, save the last jelly for me…
Check out the MH Crime Map! Click below to search your neighborhood:
http://mendota.prophoenix.com/CS/CrimeMapping.aspx