Current Events

Safe & Sober

Spring Fever Arrives

April 2008

During the month of April, the Edina Police Department will emphasize speed enforcement in the Safe & Sober “Spring Fever” campaign. Between 2004 and 2006, there were 464 deaths in Minnesota in which speed was a contributing factor and each year there are about 7,000 injuries related to speeding.

Sgt. Tom Draper heads the Edina Traffic Unit and encourages drivers not to exceed the posted limit. “Speeding traffic is a common complaint from our residents. We’ll be conducting enhanced speed enforcement to address that issue and also because the most common factor in fatal crashes is excessive speed," he said. “We want to reduce the number of deaths as well as injuries.”

Safe & Sober is an educational and enforcement program administered by the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. For more information, contact Draper at 952-826-1610 or see the OTS website at www.dps.state.mn.us/ots/.

Third Graders become 'Junior' Police

For more than 30 years, Edina elementary school children have participated in the Junior Police program, sponsored by the Edina Morningside Rotary Club. This program introduces children to some basic safety ideas and is an opportunity to meet and talk with an officer from the Edina Police Department.

This year, six Edina police officers, including Officer Brian Hubbard, volunteered to teach the short program (two one-hour visits to third-grade classrooms). Hubbard enjoyed the interaction with the kids and noted, “They had quite a bit of interest in the typical daily duties of an officer, and it was fun to field their questions and provide a realistic view of law enforcement, in contrast to what they see on TV.” Kids are given an activity workbook on the first visit, complete it and bring it back the next week when they receive their “badges” and have their fingerprints taken.

For more information about the Junior Police program, contact Officer Mike Seeger at 952-826-1610.

Freezin' For a Reason

On Saturday, March 15, three stalwart members of the Edina Police Department jumped into the icy waters of Round Lake in Eden Prairie to raise money for the Minnesota Special Olympics.

Sgt. Brian Tholen, Det. Tom McKenzie and Communications Specialist Tony Martin participated in the first-ever Eden Prairie Plunge, one of 11 Polar Bear Plunges held by law enforcement around Minnesota January through March. The Eden Prairie Plunge raised more than $39,000 through the efforts of more than 180 hardy plungers.

The Polar Bear Plunge is part of the larger Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics. See the Special Olympics website for more information.

Regional K9 Narcotics Trials Held in Edina

On Sunday, March 16, the United States Police Canine Association held its annual Regional Narcotics Trials. Hosted by the Edina Police Department, the Trials involved 61 dogs and handlers from the Minnesota State Patrol and police departments and sheriffs’ offices from North Dakota, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

This eight-hour event was held in two locations -- the room searches were conducted at FilmTec in Edina and the vehicle searches at Kustom Karriers in Minnetonka. The event involved a timed search for each dog and handler team to locate narcotics hidden in an office and a second search among several vehicles. The dogs were looking for marijuana, cocaine, crack and/or methamphetamines.

Both Edina K9s, Kodiak with Officer Kevin Rofidal and Diesel with Officer Mike Seeger, placed in the top 5 percent - Kodiak and Officer Rofidal will go on to the National Certification in May in Tennessee. Top honors went to Obie and Officer Judson Broen of the Bloomington Police Department, and second place to Vosco and Deputy Dan Rockensock with the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office.

The Police Department thanks Laurie and Bob at Kustom Karriers and Kurt Buchanan at FilmTec for their generosity and assistance with this event. For more information about Edina K9s Diesel and Kodiak, please contact Sgt. Tom Draper at 952-826-1610.

Reward Offered

The Edina Crime Prevention Fund is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the apprehension, arrest and conviction of the person responsible for   Jan. 15, 2008 robbery at Lund's Foods, 3945 W. 50^th St, Edina.

The suspect is a white male, 18 to 23 years of age, 5-foot-nine to 6-foot-one, 140 pounds, and was wearing a hooded brown sweatshirt/jacket with words on the front and a circular logo or patch on the right sleeve. He might have had a red hooded sweatshirt underneath the brown one.

This individual is also a suspect in recent Minneapolis robberies.  

The Fund is the sole judge of any point of contention regarding the reward, and its decision on any issue connected with the reward is final.

If you have any information regarding this person or incident, contact Deputy Chief of Police Jeff Long at 952-826-1600, 24 hours a day. Your identity may remain confidential.

Missing Person Found

At approximately 11 a.m. Nov. 2, the Edina Police Department received confirmation that Scott Michael Tridgell had been found near Menomonie, Wis., at a rest stop along Interstate Highway 94.

Tridgell’s Toyota Tacoma truck was noticed by a Minnesota resident who had seen the Wednesday, Oct. 31, media coverage on his disappearance and phoned the Menomonie Police Department. Responding Menomonie officers found Tridgell asleep in the vehicle. Tridgell appears to be physically good but very confused.

DWI Enforcement

During the month of December, the Edina Police Department will be emphasizing DWI enforcement as part of the Minnesota Safe and Sober program. “Especially during the holiday party season, we encourage people who drink to do so responsibly and to designate a non-drinking driver. In 2006, a record-high 41,832 motorists were arrested for DWI in our state,” said Sgt. Tom Draper, who heads the Edina Traffic Unit. “We want safe roads and sober drivers, and that’s what December’s effort is designed to encourage,” added Draper.

Safe and Sober is an educational and enforcement program administered by the Office of Traffic Safety of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. For more information, contact Sgt. Draper at 952-826-1610 or see the Office of Traffic Safety website at http://www.dps.state.mn.us/ots/.