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04 22 16 JTF  1   The latest from the Mendota Heights Police Department CHIEF Mike Aschenbrener SERGEANTS Eric Petersen Tanner Spicer Peyton Fleming Bobby Lambert POLICE OFFICERS 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 Shayna Hoechst Becky Pentel RESERVES Randy Pentel Jim Knox Jeff Parker CHAPLAINS Butch Millett John Snider Alberto Vargas Lynn Liberman Sue Plucker Joel Detlefsen Lenny Andrie APRIL 22, 2016   The new name for Safe and Sober (TZD) more accurately reflects the goal of all traffic enforcement across the USA. In 2014, 361 people (lowest total in years) in Minnesota died in car crashes. Over the course of the year 29,438 people were hurt in those crashes. For the past 15+ years in Dakota County Law Enforcement, the County Attorney, the Medical Examiner and the County Highway Engineer have together reviewed every fatal crash to look at why it happened, the patterns of traffic arrests (tickets) and crash- es. The information gathered from the meetings of the Traffic Safety Committee are used to plan traffic enforcement details such as: Click It Or Ticket, Speed Waves and Driving Under the Influence Saturations. Even with all of the resources put into keeping people from getting hurt in car crashes, the causes remain fairly consistent with speed, distracted driving failure to stop or yield as the top three reasons you will be involved in a crash. The number one spot is cur- rently held by distracted driving, which has steadily moved up as cell phones have be- come smarter: the number two spot is held by fail to yield. Last weekend a major na- tional campaign to stop distracted driving was run on the interstate highways all across the country. Protect yourself in a crash - buckle up! When the officers are out working traffic the number one goal is to keep you alive. Simple rules to live by: Pay Attention, stop and look both ways and slow down. Stay safe and have a great weekend. Toward Zero Deaths Air bags are designed to save lives and prevent injuries by cushioning occupants as they move forward in a front- end crash. The air bag keeps the occupant’s head, neck, and chest from hitting the steering wheel or dashboard. An occupant who is very close to or on top of the air bag when it begins to inflate can be hit with enough force to suffer serious injury or death. However, an occupant who is properly restrained and sits 10 inches away from the air bag cover will contact the air bag only after it has com- pletely or almost completely inflated. The air bag will then cushion and protect the person from hitting the hard surfaces in the vehicle. To be safe, move the seat back and buckle up — every time, every trip. The lap belt needs to fit over your hips, not your abdomen, and the shoulder belt should lie on your chest and over your shoulder. Remove any slack from the belt. In a crash, seat belts stretch and slow down your movement toward the steering wheel or dashboard. Moving back and properly using seat belts give the air bag a chance to inflate before you move forward in a crash far enough to con- tact the air bag.   2   ACCIDENT FRIDAY 1343 HOURS Sgt. Spicer responded to a property damage hit and run accident on private property. Minor damage and no suspect information available. NO INSURANCE SATURDAY 2312 HOURS A vehicle was observed driving eastbound 494 traveling without taillights. Officer Shepard stopped the vehi- cle. Driver provided an expired insurance card and was driving with an instruction permit. The passenger in the vehicle was not a licensed driver so the vehicle was towed, driver cited and driver and passenger called someone to be picked up. BURGLARY MONDAY 0752 HOURS A burglary was reported at the Par 3. Suspect(s) entered the building on the west side and took money from the register. THEFT MONDAY 1051 HOURS Officer Rosse responded to a call of a theft of gas at the Holiday store on Hwy 13. The vehicle was described as a white Chevrolet Impala. A license check of the plate given was registered to a Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Employees provided a good suspect description: Hispanic or Asian male wearing a white shirt with a red hat. While conducting a search of this vehicle it was indicated that the vehicle had been involved in several traffic calls out of Inver Grove Heights. The license plates were flagged to be impounded for an alcohol violation. The driver was contacted and ultimately arrested. FALSE INFORMATION TO POLICE MONDAY 1300 HOURS Officer Larrive was dispatched to an unlock assist and the driver stated she was the owner of the vehicle and gave Officer Larrive her information. After the vehicle was unlocked it was learned that the driver gave false information and was cited. ASSIST MONDAY 1736 HOURS Sergeant Fleming spoke with a local business owner who figured out that a former employee was sneaking into the building to sleep at night and likely had spent the weekend in the business. Several options were provided to keep the unwanted overnight guest out. DRUGS MONDAY 1815 HOURS While on patrol, Sgt. Fleming located a two vehicle crash with damage. Contact was made with the drivers   3   and one of the vehicles had a very strong order of marijuana coming from the interior. A search was made and a large amount of suspected marijuana and drug paraphernalia was located. Due to the large amount of drugs, DTF was contacted and the case will be forwarded to them. ACCIDENT MONDAY 1818 HOURS A school bus pulled out from a parking space and backed into the rear of an unoccupied vehicle. Infor- mation was run and the owner contacted. 20 students were on the bus at the time of the accident. DWI MONDAY 2000 HOURS Sgt. Fleming to a suspicious vehicle on a park trail. Upon locating the vehicle it was occupied by a single male. The driver threw the keys out of the vehicle and as he exited he was noted to be unsteady on his feet and his speech was slurred. The driver stated he was stuck and waiting for his wife to arrive . A PBT was ad- ministered and the driver blew over the legal limit. Driver was arrested and booked into jail. WEAPONS MONDAY 2018 HOURS A juvenile male reported that while he was running home a person in a dark colored vehicle and pointed a pistol at him. As Officer Gorgos arrived in the area a dark colored vehicle was spotted and Officer Gorgos stopped it. It was not the vehicle involved. In speaking with the juvenile a description was given of a black male with dread locks and a chubby face, late teens or early 20’s, with a possible passenger in the vehicle. Prior to this call the officer was dispatched to a suspicious vehicle in that same area with a matching vehicle and suspect(s) description. A patrol note was made to make other officers aware. 911 THURSDAY 1249 HOURS Officer Robin Nelson and Sergeant Tanner Spicer were dispatched to an open 911 line with a crying small child saying “I want my mommy.” As the call was coming in from a celluar phone there was no was to deter- mine the address other than latitude and longitude. After chasing around in the area of D Street and Hwy 13 for nearly an hour they located the child and her dad in the area of the call. A referral will occur to Dakota County Social Services. AOA THURSDAY 1840 HOURS Officer Mike Shepard monitored a call of a stolen black Lincoln Town Car limo in the area 494 and Pilot Knob Road. Apparently the limo driver filled up with gas leaving the car unlocked with the keys in the igni- tion. Unfortunately the very large black slow moving car managed to give everyone the slip and make it out of the area.   4     Did you know that the     Mendota Heights Fire  Department has a long   standing partnership with   HealthEast Ambulance.    The Fire Department along  with the ambulance          respond to all serious crash- es in the City of Mendota  Heights to provide emer- gency medical services and  extraction when needed.   Both work together on a  regular basis and are highly  skilled when it comes to  saving lives at crash scenes.    As we move Toward Zero  Deaths (TZD) the only way  we achieve those goals is  with a broad set of   committed partners  who also believe in saving  lives at every opportunity  and train relentlessly to do  so.  BE SAFE BUCKLE UP  AND DON’T TEXT AND  DRIVE!  04/15 ‐ 04/21 2016 YTD Calls for Service 152 2330 Citations 19 319 Warnings 15 302 Police Reports 18 309 Response Time Average 5.63 4.86 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 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!