CENTENNIAL LAKES POLICE DEPARTMENT

Transcription

1 CENTENNIAL LAKES POLICE DEPARTMENT Centennial Lakes Police Department/54 North Road/Circle Pines, MN 55014

2 Table of Contents 2011 ANNUAL REPORT Mission Statement Introduction History Organizational Chart Personnel Problem Oriented Policing (P.O.P.) Focus on Circle Pines Focus on Centerville Focus on Lexington Investigations Community Connections Reserve Officers Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).. 22 Police Chaplain Activity and Incident Reports MANAGEMENT PLAN Organizational Goals and Objectives Conclusion [2]

3 Mission Statement The Mission of the Centennial Lakes Police Department is to enhance the quality of life for those living in the cities of Centerville, Circle Pines, and Lexington by providing highly professional and responsive law enforcement and safety service. We are dedicated to carrying out our Mission with pride, courage, compassion, integrity, and professionalism. We are also committed to organizational excellence and to fulfilling our motto of Safety, Community, and Service. Safety. Community. Service. [3]

4 Introduction Chief James Coan I am very pleased to present our 2011 Annual Report/2012 Management Plan. While it is my privilege to author this introductory page, the credit for the document really goes to the men and women who comprise the Centennial Lakes Police Department. Through the years we have worked very hard to fight crime, solve neighborhood problems, provide quality safety service to our three cities, and maintain a professional and progressive law enforcement agency. A low crime rate, public confidence in our ability and integrity, sound policing tactics, quality personnel at all levels of the organization, and the development of policies and practices in accord with national standards are just a few of our noteworthy accomplishments. Much of our success is a reflection of how we are staffed, trained, equipped, organized, managed, and our philosophy of policing and problem solving. Adherence to certain organizational fundamentals has been an additional key to our success, i.e. if you hire the right people, provide them with the right training, right equipment, right policies, and the right supervision then the right things are going to happen. Although we are very pleased and proud of what we have accomplished, we can ill afford to be complacent or overconfident. We must strive for excellence and we must continue to work hard to ensure the safety and stability of the cities of Lexington, Circle Pines, and Centerville. We enjoy a very good reputation, but the expectations by the citizens we serve require that we not rest on our laurels. Now is the time for us to redouble our commitment to the highest traditions of policing and public safety. Therefore, in the year ahead we will further our professional growth and development, adhere to the fundamentals, continue our progress toward developing policies and practices in accord with national standards, maintain close partnerships with our citizens and with fellow law enforcement agencies, and render the same high level of safety service that our citizens have come to expect. Within the pages of this document we provide a statistical accounting of what has occurred in our three cities over the last year. We also include details regarding the professional development of our Department and a guide to what we intend to accomplish in the year ahead. None of what we accomplish could be achieved without the dedication and effort put forth by so many in our organization. It is my opinion that our greatest strength is the quality and caliber of our personnel. As individuals and as a law enforcement agency we have the capacity to meet virtually any challenge. I believe that the future of the Centennial Lakes Police Department remains very bright and that together we stand ready to meet the challenges of a new year. In conclusion, I wish to thank all of our Department personnel, our Governing Board, Mayors, City Administrators, and all of our citizens for their continued support and cooperation. Chief James Coan [4]

5 History In the late 1940 s, Herman Heath became the first day-time Constable for Circle Pines. City Councilmen took turns providing policing duty at night. After formation of the village, a one-man police department was formed. The Village of Circle Pines acquired an ambulance/squad car to patrol and to transport injured or ill residents the many miles to the nearest hospital. In 1954, Joseph Matzke became the first Lexington police officer. Officer Matzke was paid $10 per month to cover gas and other expenses, plus he received a portion of the fines assessed for infractions of ordinance. As early as 1965, a joint police force was discussed between Lexington and Circle Pines. It wasn t until 1975 that a joint powers agreement was adopted by the two cities creating a combined police department. The police department was governed by a commission, rather than directly by the two city councils. Ronald Nicholas became the first Chief of the Circle Pines-Lexington Police Department. The department, consisting of four officers, was first housed in a portioned-off corner of the Circle Pines fire barn. Part-time officers were later added to extend coverage. All officers shared one police patrol car, a 1973 Plymouth inherited from the City of Lexington. In 1978, the police department moved from the fire barn to an office in the shopping area of 9201 Lexington Avenue. In June of 1986, the department moved again, this time into the lower level of the new Circle Pines City Hall. In 1991, the Circle Pines-Lexington Police Department began providing contracted police protection to Centerville. In December of 1999, a Joint Powers Agreement was completed, and on January 1, 2000, a tri-city Centennial Lakes Police Department was formed to provide law enforcement and safety services to the cities of Lexington, Circle Pines, and Centerville, In 2006, a new police station was built on the corner of North Road and Lake Drive in Circle Pines. Today the Centennial Lakes Police Department is comprised of 16 sworn officers and 7 civilians who are fully dedicated to providing quality service to our three cities. Exceptional personnel, a low crime rate, public confidence in our ability and integrity, policies and practices in accord with national standards, and innovative problem-solving and outreach programs are just a few of our noteworthy accomplishments. We take great pride in our entire community, our department, and in our commitment to protect and serve the citizens of the cities of Lexington, Circle Pines, and Centerville. [5]

6 Organizational Chart Chief of Police Police Captain Office Manager Administrative Sergeant Patrol Sgt Patrol Sgt Investigator 3 FTE Records Staff Community Service Officers 3 Afternoon Shift Patrol Officers 4 Night Shift Patrol Officers 3 Day Shift Patrol Officers 12 Police Reserve Officers CERT Coordinator 50 CERT Volunteers [6]

7 Personnel 2011 GOVERNING BOARD MEMBERS Centerville: Tom Wilharber Circle Pines: Dave Bartholomay Lexington: Mike Pitchford Ben Fehrenbacher Dave Kelso Mark Johnson CENTENNIAL LAKES POLICE DEPARTMENT STAFF NAME TITLE SERVING SINCE Ronald Nelson Captain Cindy Lewis Office Manager Jon Krueger Patrol Officer Nancy Noren Records Technician Russell Blanck Administrative Sergeant Patrick Aldrich Patrol Sergeant Benjamin Stepan Patrol Sergeant Jason Corlew Patrol Officer (resigned ) Scott Arntzen Patrol Officer Kristofer Carlson Patrol Officer Matthew Langreck Patrol Officer Andrew Dixon Patrol Officer William Jacobson Patrol Officer Aron Sandmann Patrol Officer Britni Austin Community Service Officer Emily Kirchner Community Service Officer (resigned ) Jeffrey Tarnowski Patrol Officer Matthew Giese Patrol Officer Katherine Honkomp Part-time Data Entry Clerk Angela Kruyer Patrol Officer Jaren Zech Community Service/Patrol Officer Donna Anderson Part-time Data Entry Clerk James Coan Chief of Police Joel Heckman Police Chaplain [7]

8 P.O.P. - Problem Oriented Policing Captain Ron Nelson The Centennial Lakes Police Department believes that, as in the broken windows theory, monitoring and maintaining the cities we serve in a wellordered condition will stop the escalation into more serious crime and disorder. One of our police department goals is to keep the number of criminal incidents as low as possible within the communities we serve. While we know it is far easier to substantiate the number of crimes that did occur as opposed to those that did not, we believe it worthy to state the low crime rate within Centerville, Circle Pines and Lexington is mostly due to the positive and proactive efforts of officers, staff, reserves and CERT members of the Centennial Lakes PD. Without this combined effort the quality of life and fear of crime our residents experience would most certainly be different than it is today. The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services of the United States Department of Justice defines community oriented policing as follows; a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies which support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder and fear of crime. Community policing is, in essence, collaboration between the police and the community that identifies and solves community problems. With the police no longer the sole guardians of law and order, members of the community become active allies in the effort to enhance the safety and quality of neighborhoods. Trust is the value that underlies and links the components of community partnerships and problem solving. A foundation of trust will allow police to form close relationships with the community that will produce solid achievements. Without trust between police and citizens, effective policing is impossible. Centennial Lakes PD takes Community Oriented policing one step further. Rather than merely responding to calls, investigating crimes and arresting criminals, our officers devote considerable time to a problem-solving approach to identify and effectively address the underlying conditions that give rise to crime and disorder. This approach is identified as Problem Oriented Policing (POP). Community members voice their concerns, contribute advice, and work with the police in taking action to address these concerns. The officers work independently as well as with other officers and community members to address issues they may encounter and thereby find the support and resources to creatively solve problems and enhance the quality of life within the cities of Centerville, Circle Pines and Lexington. While all officers of the Centennial Lakes PD are actively involved with addressing potential issues they may find while on patrol, they are also involved with community groups such as the Village Townhome association, Chauncey Barett, Glen Oaks, Paul Revere Cooperative, Rice Creek Trail Association and many others which allows them to more effectively respond to community needs. The officers meet with these and other groups at least monthly to verbally address any police related concerns the group may have further explaining what police can and will do and what role the residents can play in minimizing the negative activity they may be experiencing. In several such circumstances officers received complaints from neighbors regarding different junk yard residences. Officers visited these junk yards, notified the homeowners of the violations and what needed to be done. They then worked with the homeowners gaining compliance to meet ordinance requirements. [8]

9 There are also many traffic related issues officers give special attention to. These traffic infractions are either observed by the officer or citizens notify them of a concern they have. Some traffic projects include driving behavior before and after school around Centennial High School, speeding on Lovell Road and on Main Street, and school bus stop arm violations. Officers have also spent time monitoring intersections such as Lake Drive and Pointcross Drive, Main Street and Centerville Road, Lovell Road and Lexington Avenue and the roundabout on Village Parkway. Officers approach these particular projects more as an educational opportunity where far more warnings are given than written citations. They also spend considerable time monitoring known drug houses, gathering intelligence, stopping cars going to and leaving the drug houses and conducting search warrants effectively putting the locals out of business. Officers also conduct business walk-throughs speaking with employees to learn of any concerns they may have or suspicious activity noticed in the area. They work with business owners such as Cowboy s Saloon and Bamboo Betty s in a proactive way to reduce incidents such as Disorderly Conduct or DWI. Officers spend time walking the parking lots and inside the businesses, assisting patrons in finding safe rides home, diffusing disagreements and simply being seen as a deterrent to problems. Centennial Lakes PD is very involved in city, county and metro-wide community oriented functions as well. Officers, Reserves and CERT members take part in city functions such as Fete De Lacs, Easter egg hunts, Lions Club ice fishing contest, elementary school events, fire department open house and many other community events. Our Reserve Officers assist in other cities with their major city events such as Anoka s Halloween parades and the Anoka County Fair. Our CERT members are leaders within the county and are very involved assisting not only our three cities but other cities with emergency management and disaster drills put on throughout the county. I am proud to say that our CERT members are highly trained and sought after throughout the metro area. As you can see, our department philosophy is one of being proactive, being seen, and thereby stopping crime before it happens. The preceding is simply an illustration of some of the ways Centennial Lakes PD addresses Community Oriented and/or Problem Oriented Policing to deter crime, reduce the fear of crime and strengthen the quality of life of the citizens and communities we serve. [9]

10 For police services to be effective they must be tailored to fit the jurisdiction being served. Because the Centennial Lakes Police Department is a joint powers or multi-city department serving not one, but three cities, it must meet the needs and expectations of each of the unique populations it serves. CIRCLE PINES Administrative Sergeant Russell Blanck I am the department s Administrative Sergeant and the designated liaison to the city of Circle Pines. Circle Pines is the quintessential residential or bedroom community. Encompassing almost two square miles, Circle Pines is located approximately 15 miles north of St. Paul and Minneapolis and is a convenient commute to either city. It is a fully developed city, with only minor fluctuations in its population of 5,407 anticipated. Its jurisdictional boundaries are essentially Lexington Avenue to the west, North Road to the north, County Road J to the south and Indian Hills Drive/Rice Creek chain of lakes to the east. Lake Drive divides the jurisdiction in two, with everything north thereof designated as Grid 1, and everything south thereof designated as Grid 2. (see map) This year Circle Pines was named the #3 Perfect Suburb in the United States by CNBC.com. The ranking was based upon, among other things, the quality of its public schools (better than 90% of the schools nationwide and 95% of the schools statewide) and the rate of homeownership among its citizens (92.6%). Ninety four percent of Circle Pines residents graduate high school and just under one-third complete four-year college degrees. Circle Pines works hard to protect and preserve its natural environment, especially its system of trails and parks. A small but successful business community serves Circle Pines residents and guests. Detailed crime data as reported to the FBI is contained elsewhere in this report. However, readers may find an analysis by Neighborhoodscout.com enlightening. That organization reports a total of 58 crimes in Circle Pines with four designated as violent and 54 as property. This results in a crime index rating of 55 - meaning Circle Pines is safer than 55% of all the cities in the United States. Broken down further, there were 0.74 annual violent crimes and 9.99 annual property crimes per 1,000 Circle Pines residents. The national median is 4.5 violent crimes and 32.1 property crimes. The state median is 2.65 violent crimes and property crimes. In other words, the chances of becoming the victim of a violent crime are 1 in 377 in MN, but only 1 in 1351 in Circle Pines. For property crimes these chances are 1 in 34 in MN but only 1 in 100 in Circle Pines. (see chart) These figures demonstrate that, on the whole, Circle Pines is a very safe place to live and work. A low crime rate doesn t just happen. The department provides high visibility patrol with the goal of a squad car travelling each and every street in the city one or more times per day. High visibility and the likelihood of a squad car being close by is an effective crime deterrent. The department also pursues unsafe and illegal motor vehicle operators aggressively, resulting in fewer accidents and the identification [10]

11 of wanted individuals and those driving under the influence of impairing substances, without licenses and without insurance. Those up to no good tend to avoid roads where they are likely to be stopped by the police and word of this possibility tends to get around. The goal of policing is often described as to protect and serve. However, the public, the media and Hollywood tend to focus only the role of the police in their capacity as protectors. Yet, in small communities, especially those like Circle Pines, it is the service component that defines the level of satisfaction that citizens and visitors have with their local police department. This department prides itself on its service. We are, almost without fail, the first responder on medical incidents. We still open doors for those locked out of their vehicles and we do not charge for false alarms. Moreover, the department actively partners with the community to prevent crime and improve its level of service. Our officers are assigned to specific communities and/or geographic areas to address their specific needs in advance of problems. For instance, officers attend board, periodic and annual meetings of multiple townhome and condominium associations, are designated as liaisons to both Golden Lake Elementary School and the Centennial Area Learning Center, work with the Rice Creek Trail Association to enhance snowmobile operator safety and minimize resident complaints related thereto, work with neighborhood groups to enforce quality of life and other property-value maintaining ordinances against non-compliant properties, and address issues of particular relevance to our senior citizen residences. It is often said that good fences make for good neighbors. In the world of policing, the opposite is true. The quality of the level of protection and service this department provides is improved through the maintenance of a strong open and interactive police-community relationship based on trust, mutual respect and frequent communication. The department and I are both committed to enhancing this relationship and welcome you re your interaction, communication and suggestions. Thank you and be safe. Officers assigned as Circle Pines liaison officers are: Jon Krueger jkrueger@clpdmn.com Scott Arntzen sarntzen@clpdmn.com Kris Carlson kcarlson@clpdmn.com Circle Pines City Hall [11]

12 CENTERVILLE The City of Centerville is located in eastern Anoka County approximately13 miles north of St. Paul. Centerville s population is approximately 3,898 people and is 2.4 square miles. Centerville is known for being home to Centerville and Peltier Lakes. The lakes provide year round recreation for fishing enthusiasts. Centerville is also the entrance to the Rice Creek Chain of Lakes County Park. The park provides a beach, a boat launch, and a gazebo for grilling and family functions. There is a large campground located in the County Park as well. The entire park is well maintained and a popular location for runners, bikers and roller-bladers. The Centennial Lakes Police Department utilizes a grid system to define the geography of the three cities we serve. Centerville is split up into two grids as Sergeant Pat Aldrich follows: Grid 5 is all the territory north of Main St. Centerville Elementary is located in Grid 5. There are two city parks in grid five. Grid 5 also contains a fishing pier on Peltier Lake. Grid 6 is all the territory south of Main St. There are also two parks in grid 6. Lamotte Park has two ball fields, an ice skating rink and a hockey rink. The open fields provide ample space for football and soccer games. Officers assigned to Centerville Each city has officers assigned to them to address problems and concerns. Utilizing our Problem Orientated Policing strategies, these officers would be directed to handle incidents specific to Centerville: Matt Langreck mlangreck@clpdmn.com Aron Sandmann asandmann@clpdmn.com Jeff Tarnowski jtarnowski@clpdmn.com Crime Report Part one and Part two crimes were up from 197 incidents in 2010 to 217 in There are several crimes that would be classified as Part one and Part two crimes. The most notable of these would be DWI, Narcotics, person on person crimes i.e. Assault and Robbery, and Theft, etc. We are proud to announce that there were no felony assaults or robberies reported in the City of Centerville in Part three, four and five crimes went down from 3,174 to 2,333 in Part three, four and five crimes are basically all other incidents. The most notable incidents under these classifications would be Traffic violations, Medicals, Residential and Business Alarms, and Animal Complaints, etc. Community Events The Centennial Lakes Police Department participated in several community events throughout These events are a great opportunity to meet, and in most cases get reacquainted with, the citizens and business owners. Some of the events attended by our officers and/or reserve officers were: [12]

13 - Fete des Lacs Carnival - Fete des Lacs Parade - Celebrity Softball Game. - 8K Run - Lion s Club Haunted House - St Genevieve s Chicken Dinner - Night to Unite - Easter Egg Hunt - Elementary Carnival - Lion s Club Ice Fishing Tournament The main focus of the Centennial Lakes Police Department is community service. Whether it is through the importance of traffic safety, or general interaction with business owners, our department s goal is to gain the feeling of security from our citizens and business owners. Unlike larger cities, most of our officers are recognized by citizens on a first name basis. We attribute our low crime rate to our high visibility patrol. High visibility and the likelihood of a squad car being close is an effective crime deterrent. The Centennial Lakes Police Department takes pride in our police service to the public. We have a great relationship with the staff at the Centerville Elementary School. You will find us conducting regular walk-thrus and providing presence before and after school. We are almost always the first responders on scene at medical incidents, and we still perform vehicle lock-outs on a regular basis. We regularly receive comments from citizens expressing how often they see our officers in the neighborhoods and out on patrol. We believe that this strong police presence will prevent criminal activity and deter criminals from coming into our neighborhoods. Centerville City Hall [13]

14 LEXINGTON Sergeant B.J. Stepan I am the Sergeant serving as the liaison to the city of Lexington. Lexington is a proud city minutes north of both downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis. With a population just over 2200 and covering about a square mile of land, Lexington definitely has that small town feel. The city of Lexington shares borders with the cities of Blaine and Circle Pines. Naples Street is the western most border, Edgewood Road and Centerwood Road provide the northern boundaries. Flowerfield Road is the border on the South and Lexington Avenue is the border on the east. Lake Drive divides Lexington in two. North of Lake Drive is Grid 3. South is Grid 4. Lexington also includes Grid 7 which contains all of the Paul Revere Mobile Home Community. Lexington is a city of small town charm. Neighbors often know one another Sergeant BJ Stepan well and it is common to run into friends and neighbors while out and about. It certainly feels as though everyone knows everybody in Lexington. Lexington has a large city park near the intersection of Woodland Road and Hamline Avenue. Lexington Memorial Park s main features are its 5 softball fields. These fields are used extensively by the Centennial Little League Association during the summer for countless games and tournaments. The park also features a concession stand, playground equipment, grills and picnic tables. During winter months the park features an outdoor ice rink. Northway Shopping Center, prominently located on Lake Drive in the center of Lexington, provides many unique shopping and dining opportunities for Lexington and surrounding city residents. Lexington also features one of the only resident-owned mobile home communities in the country. The Paul Revere Community offers its residents the opportunity to buy into the Cooperative when moving in. The Community is managed by a board consisting of residents elected into their positions. The board meets monthly. A Police Officer is present at almost all the meetings to answer questions, assist with quality of life issues and add a police perspective as necessary. The City of Lexington does present some challenges and many opportunities in policing. Bamboo Betty s and Cowboys Saloon are both very popular bars located in Lexington. Both establishments frequently draw large crowds. The bars are located directly across Restwood Avenue from one another and are located very close to a residential neighborhood. As is often the case, alcohol and large crowds lead to frequent police calls. Most often, these calls are related to quality of life issues such as noise complaints. Officers have many on going, long term, problem oriented policing projects surrounding these issues. Officers have worked closely with the owners and employees, along with City representatives and neighbors in the areas, in an effort to reduce these issues. Officers have developed multiple positive Police contacts through these projects. Many nights at bar close, Officers can be found on foot in the area between the two bars reminding patrons to quietly leave the area and reminding those who have consumed too much to find a safe and sober ride home. [14]

15 Centennial Lakes Police Department has a long history of Community Oriented Policing. While responding to 911 calls requesting emergency assistance will always be our highest priority, our unique style of policing provides an opportunity for Officers to do so much more. Through creating and developing positive contacts within the communities, Officers cultivate valuable and meaningful relationships. Having served with the department for over 11 years, I can honestly say that some of my favorite people in my life are residents of Lexington. Community Policing is more than just responding to calls. We are given the opportunity to take more of a problem solving approach. Officers are able to work closely with business and community members in addressing and solving problems. Through this approach, many potential problems are avoided and quality of life is improved. Our high visibility patrols, business walkthroughs and frequent traffic enforcement have a high deterrence on criminal activity. I feel that Sgt. Blanck summed it up best by writing, Those up to no good tend to avoid roads where they are likely to be stopped by the police and word of this possibility tends to get around. I am proud to be with the Centennial Lakes Police Department and even more proud to serve as the liaison to Lexington. The city, its businesses and residents create a truly unique environment in which to work and live. A small town charm with big city opportunity. More importantly, it is a community where you always feel welcome. Officers assigned as Lexington liaison officers are: Andy Dixon adixon@clpdmn.com Bill Jacobson wjacobson@clpdmn.com Matt Giese mgiese@clpdmn.com Jeff Tarnowski jtarnowski@clpdmn.com Lexington City Hall [15]

16 Investigations The Investigations Unit continued its success through 2011 while handling a variety of new challenges. Detective Carlson worked on a range of projects and handled major cases which included compiling Investigations statistical reports, implementing a web based charging system regarding complaints for the department, overseeing and actively investigating a theft ring in Circle Pines, and investigating several high profile burglaries in Circle Pines. Additionally, he conducted several employee backgrounds for applicants for the positions of Police Officer, Community Service Officers, and Reserve Officer(s). Investigations worked closely with our neighboring agencies on several different occasions including assistance with the Every 15 Minutes project hosted by Blaine Police Department and Centennial High School. Detective Carlson also worked alongside the Anoka County Criminal Investigations Division (CID) on a number of high profile incidents including a murder-suicide that officers responded to in Circle Pines, MN. This led to an activist effort with Anoka County to profile to our communities a new Lethality Assessment response to the domestic violence crisis in Anoka County and elsewhere. The Investigations Unit put together monthly and yearly statistics and case reports for Centennial Lakes Investigations retained most of its 81 cases and boasted a healthy clearance rate of 81%. A total of six (6) cases were forwarded to CID or another agency in Anoka County in 2011, compared to twentyfour (24) cases that were forwarded to Anoka County in The following are some of the statistics for 2011: [16]

17 - CLPD Investigations handled eight (8) burglary incidents, of which we retained all of our cases - CLPD Investigations handled nine (9) narcotics incidents and retained a majority of the cases, only forwarding one (1) case to our county s Drug Task Force - CLPD Investigations handled six (6) aggravated assault cases and retained four (4) of our cases - CLPD Investigations took more than twenty (20) statements of victims, witnesses, and suspects involved with incidents handled by the department s investigators In 2011, patrol officers assisted Detective Carlson by routinely handling the basic investigation of the incidents they responded to, developing and following up on leads, collecting evidence and tracking cases through the charging procedure(s). The patrol division also participated in ascertaining and locating witnesses, taking statements, and assisting with other investigative functions as time permitted during their patrol shifts. The Investigative Unit continued to develop and build on its partnerships throughout the law enforcement community; working with such agencies as the investigative division of the Internal Revenue Service, building a case against tax fraud and tax evasion, and the FBI, developing bank robbery response procedures and plans. Detective Kris Carlson [17]

18 Community Connections NIGHT TO UNITE SAFETY CAMP The Centennial Lakes Police Department participated in Night to Unite in Night to Unite is a community event held annually on the first Tuesday in August. Officers visited sixteen scheduled block parties in Centerville (8), Circle Pines (6), and Lexington (2). Residents were joined by law enforcement officers, local officials, CERT members, fire fighters, paramedics and representatives from the Centennial School District. They were able to voice their concerns about crime with officers and discuss events held within the community. Goodies such as Frisbees and wrist bands were handed out to children to promote safety and crime prevention. Many children had the chance to meet McGruff the Crime Dog and take photos with him. Safety Camp is a yearly event developed to increase a child s knowledge and awareness of all aspects of safety. Centennial Lakes Police Department works in partnership with Lino Lakes Police, Centennial and Lexington Fire, North Ambulance, and Parks & Recreation Departments to host the event. Topics covered at the camp include: bike safety, fire safety, drug safety, water safety, personal safety, electrical safety, outdoor safety, and first-aid. The camp is set up to be educational and fun. Police Officers and Community Service Officers work as camp counselors and teachers during this event. Police Explorers and Police Reserves also volunteer their time to make the event a success. POLICE DEPARTMENT TOURS The Centennial Lakes Police Department offers tours of our facility throughout the year. Tours are given to residents, scouting groups, and elementary school classes. A police department tour allows citizens to get an idea of the facilities and equipment that police officers use on a daily basis. Information given during tours can be tailored to fit the objective of specific groups. VACATION HOUSE CHECK Officers will check your home periodically during your absence, whether you are gone for days, weeks, or months. Call a few days before leaving and we will add you to the house check list. [18]

19 NEIGHBORHOOD CRIME WATCH Neighborhood Crime Watch Groups are designed to band neighbors together in hopes to prevent crime in the community. These organized groups watch out for one another. In order to stay active in the Crime Watch Organization, these groups must hold meetings twice a year. The first of these meetings is an informational meeting usually held in the spring. These meetings can be held at a residence or in a public location. The second meeting is a social gathering which is held on Night to Unite. Participants of the Crime Watch Groups must be involved in the Operation Identification Program. Operation ID is explained in the section below. OPERATION IDENTIFICATION BICYCLE LICENSES Operation Identification is a citizen's burglary prevention program for use in homes and businesses. The Operation ID program involves the marking of property with an identifying number as a means of discouraging burglary and theft. When stolen property is recovered, officers are able to track ownership and return the property in a timely manner. The police department offers the tools and assistance to properly mark and record all valuables and property in your home and/or business. The Centennial Lakes Police Department encourages its residents to license their bicycles. Bicycle licenses are issued by the police department at no cost to residents of Lexington, Circle Pines, and Centerville. Licensing your bicycles makes the recognition of recovered bicycles easier should they get lost or stolen. Several bicycles were abandoned and recovered this past year without licenses. Bicycles that are not claimed after 60 days are sent to auction. HOME AND BUSINESS SECURITY SURVEY This program is free to all residents and businesses of Centerville, Circle Pines and Lexington and includes a review of your home or business windows, doors, locks, outside lighting, and landscaping. Department personnel will alert you to burglary vulnerabilities and other security weaknesses. SPEED TRAILER To ensure the safety of our communities and combat speeding, the police department routinely utilizes our speed trailer. The speed trailer aids officers and the community by a reminding drivers of the posted speed limit and displaying the each vehicle s speed. The department receives weekly requests by citizens for the speed trailer to be placed near their residence. The speed trailer becomes available in spring and is used throughout the year until the first substantial snow fall. [19]

20 PROJECT ROCKET The Centennial Lakes Police Department has been promoting an innovative program for families who have children with special needs. Project ROCKET (Response Outline Created for Kids and Endangered Teens), created by CSO Austin, is a program developed to better prepare law enforcement and public services when dealing with crisis situations involving children with special needs. This project alerts dispatchers when a home has a child with special needs. Imperative personal information regarding the special needs child is entered into Anoka County Central Communication s hazard files. When a call from a residence comes into ACCC, the dispatcher is able to provide officers with a physical description, any medical diagnosis, and address guide to nearby properties with potential hazards, details on how to best approach the child, how they respond to authority, and whether they are verbal or non-verbal. Parent or guardian information is also provided through the dispatch system. All information regarding Project ROCKET is kept on file with dispatch as well as the police department. Should information need to be updated, it can be changed by contacting the police department. This program helps to minimize certain challenges to law enforcement and emergency service personnel by making responding to calls more efficient. If you have or know of a child with special needs that would benefit from this program we urge you to contact CSO Austin. LAW ENFORCEMENT TORCH RUN Every year the Centennial Lakes Police Department supports the Special Olympics by participating in the Law Enforcement Torch Run. The Torch Run is an actual running event in which officers and athletes run the "Flame of Hope" to the Opening Ceremonies of local Special Olympics competitions. Runners from all over the state are joined by Officers from Centennial Lakes Police as the run travels through our cities. Funds collected by the Torch Run benefit the Special Olympics and surrounding communities. [20]

21 Reserve Officers The Centennial Lakes Police Reserves were once again very productive this year. The Reserves logged over 2,100 volunteer hours. As the year grew to a close, our Reserve Officer staff had been reduced from eleven dedicated Reserves down to seven. The Reserve Program lost a particularly valuable member when Reserve Sergeant Monique Sahlstrom stepped down. Reserve Sergeant Sahlstrom alone volunteered over 2,000 hours to our community over her seven year tenure and she will be sorely missed. Reserve Officers Andrew Milles and Dennis Spreng were both promoted to the rank of Sergeant and solidified their place as anchors in this ever growing program. Training for the year shifted gears to a more hands on approach utilizing more of a scenario based approach. A great deal of training was dedicated to training Reserve Officers in skills such as transporting prisoners and solo patrol which augments the Patrol division at Centennial Lakes PD. Reserve Supervisor/Officer Matt Langreck Reserve Supervisor/Officer Bill Jacobson Pictured from left to right: Reserve Officer Joshua Marshall, Reserve Sgt. Dennis Spreng, Reserve Officer Chad Broton, Reserve Sgt. Andrew Milles, Reserve Officer Richard Fenton, Reserve Officer Lucas Frederickson [21]

22 Community Emergency Response Team The success of the CERT mission in our cities is to be ready and to do the greatest good for the greatest amount of people when a large-scale emergency or disaster disrupts life as we know it. The mission relies on training and working together as a team as much as possible. Throughout the year, team training sessions and activities were offered along with volunteers having a presence at community events. Thanks to the help of 66 community volunteers, our Community Emergency Response Team had a fantastic year. In 2011, 362 hours were given to the community by CERT volunteers! A volunteer hour in Minnesota is worth $20.90*. For Centennial Lakes, that is a value of $7,565.80! Where CERT was seen in 2011: Lexington & Centerville s Easter Egg Hunts Minnesota State Fair Centerville Fete des Lacs Parade Centerville 8K Run Lexington 5K Run Lexington Fire Department Open House Medical Examiner s Office tour Lexington Fire Department training Psychological First Aid training CPR training Centennial Lakes Reserve training Animal Disaster Response training CERT Mass Casualty field exercise CERT Annual training We are always looking for new members from the community to join the team, and in 2011 the team welcomed 7 new team members! CERT Basic training was hosted for residents of Circle Pines, Lexington, and Centerville in the spring and the fall. With assistance from Centennial Fire and Centennial Lakes Police, the curriculum covers disaster preparedness, team organization and incident command, disaster medical operations, fire suppression and safety, search and rescue, disaster psychology, and then ends with a mock disaster drill. Preparing for a disaster in our community means that equipment is on hand for the team to use when needed. In 2011, we acquired a triage kit, CERT canopy tent, flashlights, and several extra CERT packs to equip new members. *According to independentsector.org [22]

23 From a recent survey sent to our current CERT members, we asked, What do you enjoy about being involved in CERT? Here are a few quotes from the responses: Ability to be ready to help the community when there is a need. Knowing I can help when needed and have the knowledge to do so. Being able to help our community other than disasters is very positive, the more the better. I like participating with the wider community. Having the knowledge to help others if disaster strikes. Getting to know people in my community. Having the knowledge to help people in a meaningful way. Getting involved and helping people in our community. Sense of community. [23] CERT Coordinator Michelle Lakso (above)

24 Police Chaplain Prior to my appointment, the department was graciously served by volunteer chaplains from neighboring agencies who still may be called upon should I not be available. Though, upon approval of Chief James Coan and the Centennial Lakes Police Governing Board, on September 13, 2011, I began serving as the department s first voluntary chaplain. Chaplain Joel Heckman As the Centennial Lakes Police Chaplain I assist officers on calls that require additional staffing with those experiencing significant emotional distress. My role is to provide comfort, consolation, spiritual and practical advice, and understanding to persons confronted with a traumatic crisis or death as a result of a homicide, suicide, illness, or accident. During the latter part of 2011, I was summoned to assist during two traumatic events. At a scene, I attempt to provide a ministry of presence and comfort until a family member, pastor, priest, rabbi, imam, or spiritual counselor can assume that role. Additionally, I make available, based on the situation, literature that provides victims and survivors appropriate information to help connect them with those agencies or organizations that can assist and support them further. My training for this role was obtained from the Minnesota Emergency Service Chaplain Association (MESCA) and Bethel University. In October 2011, I was privileged to attend additional courses sponsored by MESCA and an all-day Chaplains training sponsored by the Ramsey County Sheriff s Department. Having previously served as a Centennial Lakes Police Officer and Anoka County Peer Counselor, I know firsthand the complexity of the job and how it can affect an officer. Therefore, upon request of an officer or any Centennial Lakes Police Department employee or family member, I ve offered to provide personal spiritual and practical guidance, counsel and support in a time of need. I was honored during 2011 to serve in that role several points in time. One of the great dispensations of a Chaplain is being able to spend time with an officer during a ride-along. I wish to thank each member of the department for allowing me to join them during their tour of duty so that I could get to know them and hopefully serve them better. Respectfully Submitted, Joel Heckman [24]

25 Activity & Incident Reports SUMMARY INDEX CRIMES SUBMITTED TO STATE FOR 2011 UNIFORM CRIME REPORT CLASS I CRIMES Percent Change Homicide % Rape 0 0 Robbery % 2011 Arrests Adult Arrests Juvenile Arrests Aggravated Assault % Burglary % Larceny/Theft % Motor Vehicle Theft % Arson 0 0 Class I Totals % CLASS II CRIMES Percent Change 2011 Arrests Adult Arrests Juvenile Arrests Simple Assault % Disorderly Conduct % Drugs/Narcotics % DUI % Embezzlement 0 0 Family/Children Forgery/Counterfeiting % Fraud % 1 1 Gambling 0 0 Liquor Law Violations % Prostitution 0 0 Sex Offenses % Buy/Receive/Possess Stolen Property % Vandalism/Damage to Property % Weapons Violations % Other Class II Offenses % Class II Totals % [25]

26 Juvenile Offenses Offense Juvenile Alcohol Juvenile Controlled Substance Juvenile Tobacco Juvenile Curfew Juvenile Runaway JUVENILE OFFENSES Juv Alcohol Juv Controlled Substance Juv Tobacco Juv Curfew Juv Runaway [26]

27 Citations Issued in Citations/Warnings Issued Non- Traffic Citations Traffic Citations Fix-It Warnings Traffic Warnings Parking Warnings Series Citations Issued 2011 Traffic Related 13% 11% 6% 4% 19% Speed Other Moving Violations Insurance Violations 47% Driver License Violations Vehicle Registration Violations Parking Violations [27]

28 ACTIVITY REPORT Miscellaneous Incidents Accidents - Motor Vehicle Alarms Animal Bites Animal Complaints/Animal Impounds Assist Other Departments/Agencies Case Follow Ups Deaths/Suicides/Suicide Attempts Domestics Found Bicycles Found Persons/Animals/Property House Checks/Extra Patrol Requests Lock Outs - Vehicle/Residential Lost Persons/Animals/Property Medicals/Emergency Medical Holds Noise Complaints Open Doors/Gates/Windows Ordinance Violations Permits to Purchase Suspicious Persons/Vehicles/Other Warrant Arrests/Attempts Other Miscellaneous Incidents ACTIVITY / INCIDENTS PER CITY CENTERVILLE CIRCLE PINES LEXINGTON OUT OF AREA TOTALS 13,889 14,240 12,037 [28]

29 2012 MANAGEMENT PLAN Organizational Goals and Objectives for 2012 [29]

30 2012 Management Plan ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES We predict that 2012 will be a year of significant innovation and professional development for our Department. Based on an assessment of departmental operations, supervisory and command level discussions, and strategic planning we propose the following goals and objectives for Our goals represent direct and definitive objectives for us to accomplish over the course of the year. Other issues will be reviewed and projects developed as opportunities arise or as conditions change. 1. To Update Our Department Policies Clear and up-to-date policies with associated training are some of the most important elements in ensuring a professional and effective law enforcement agency. A proactive approach to policy development and training also decreases liability concerns and increases the safety and efficiency of our officers. In essence, it is one of the best risk management tools that we can invest in. In 2012, we intend to update all of our policies in keeping with national standards and best law enforcement practices. Our policies will be written in collaboration with Lexipol, LLC, a highly reputable policy and training service that is well recognized and respected within professional law enforcement circles throughout the country. Many of our policies will eventually come to reflect the standards set forth by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). Although the updating of our policies will be a daunting task, the results will ultimately place our agency among the elite in law enforcement. In effect, we will be able to assure our elected and appointed officials, as well as our citizens, that our policies are in keeping with the very best in national law enforcement practices. 2. To Ensure the Proper Administration, Security, and Preservation of Evidence and Recovered Property Proper evidence and property management is considered critical to the integrity, efficiency, accountability, and professionalism of a law enforcement agency. The failure to apply proper formal standards and security to evidence and property processing and preservation can result in high liability issues and severe criticism of a police department. It can also impede investigations and compromise the successful prosecution of criminal cases. Last year our Department began to take very active steps toward updating our evidence/property management system and in better securing our evidence room. We intend to continue this important process by applying best practices in the administration, management, and handling of evidence/property. Our goals are to ensure proper evidence related policies and procedures, streamline the processing of evidence and property, and maintain a highly secure system of storing and preserving evidence and recovered property. [30]