Winter 2019-20 Hometown Messenger

NEWS & NOTES

CHIEF’S NOTES

3500 lbs of paper shredded at fall ShredRight event More than 50 residents shredded 3500 lbs worth of personal documents and sensitive data at the fall ShredRight event hosted by the Police Department. Residents brought sensitive documents to the department on Oct. 27, where representatives from ShredRight destroyed them on site. The event was such a huge success, the department is looking to host another in the future. Stay tuned to the city's website for information about future events. Third graders from Shakopee elementary schools visit Fire Station 1 In recognition of National Fire Prevention week, the Shakopee Fire Department opened thier doors to third graders from around Shakopee in Oct. Students heard messages about fire prevention and fire safety from firefighters and toured the fire department and equipment. Shakopee Police celebrate National Coffee with a Cop Day Shakopee Police served coffee and mingled with guests at HyVee for

National Coffee with a Cop Day on Oct. 3. The annual Coffee with a Cop gives residents a chance to meet officers and begin thoughtful personal dialogs with no agenda. Thanks to all who participated. Bingo raises $400 for Crime Prevention On October 10th, Shakopee Crime Prevention board hosted a successful Bingo night at the Shakopee Brewhall. The Shakopee Crime Prevention, Inc. is a non profit that directly funds the Shakopee Police department in preventing crime and providing reward funds. The money raised by the Crime Prevention Fund helps provide financial assistance for Citizens Academy, Shakopee Night to Unite, Safe and Sober program, Recovery Assistance program, among others. This event raised over $400 which went directly to Shakopee’s Safe and Sober program. This program partners Shakopee Police with taxi companies to make sure people have a safe ride home from the Shakopee bars on popular holiday weekends.

The Shakopee Police department is extremely honored to have been selected by the International Association of Chief’s of Police as their 2018 Excellence in Victim Services Award recipient. This prestigious honor recognizes the extra efforts and priority the Shakopee Police Department places on victim services. The City Council supported the department’s request for a Victim Services

Coordinator position, and the impact has been positive and measurable. Nationally, only 12 percent of domestic violence victims actually receive services.

Shakopee Police Chief Jeff Tate

90 percent of general crime victims never receive a service of any kind. Those numbers are unacceptable. Our Victim Services Coordinator Barb Hedstrom has made sure that Shakopee is the exception in this area. She has identified over a hundred services to put victims in contact with. Barb also walks victims through the court process and helps people get out of some very difficult situations. Her efforts were also recently recognized by the Minnesota Alliance on Crime in Sept., when she was awarded the Spotlight Award. We are so fortunate to have someone like Barb working for crime victims here in Shakopee.

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