Shakopee Police Department 2020 Annual Report

Message from the Chief

Dear residents, Like many of you, I was glad to turn the calendar from 2020 and start a new year. That said, our department had many bright spots last year worth talking about. At the height of the civil unrest last summer, our department held its first Picnic with the Police. Our staff and community came together for one night in July, showcasing our commitment to each other and demonstrating why Shakopee is such a great place to live. With the constant headlines law enforcement was facing at the time, we really needed that night together. It is one of the best days I’ve ever had in a Shakopee uniform. I look forward to our next picnic in the summer of 2021. Our department received several prestigious awards last year. The International Association of Chiefs of Police awarded our department its Leadership in Community Policing award. This international award recognized our commitment and efforts to community policing. It is the second time in the past five years we’ve been honored with the award. Community policing remains the philosophical basis for every decision we make. Our department also received the FBI National Academy Associate’s Award for Science and Innovation in Law Enforcement for the gift card ordinance passed in 2019. The same ordinance was also recognized by the League of Minnesota Cities with the City of Excellence award. We are very proud of this recognition and the success the ordinance has had when dealing with fraud. We certainly had our challenges and moments of frustration last year. It was difficult to cancel our popular events like Shop with a Cop, but as we turn the corner on COVID, we look forward to getting back to in-person events and encourage you to actively participate in our community outreach initiatives throughout the year. While much of what happened in 2020 requires an asterisk because of COVID, I would like to remind folks that Shakopee remains one of the safest cities around. We had one of our lowest crime rates in our history. Shakopee was also ranked the 30th best place to live in the United States! We remain committed to your safety and not just meeting your expectations but exceeding them. Lastly, I must once again thank each and every one of you that reached out to talk with us, bring food or share a nice thought with an officer. Your gestures, letters and emails mean the world to us and make us so proud to serve this wonderful community. The outpouring of appreciation from this community last year was overwhelming—more than we’ve ever seen. Thank you so much! Thank you for taking the time to read our annual report, and please, never hesitate to reach out and contact us if we can ever be of help.

“Our staff and community came together for one night in July, showcasing our commitment to each other and demonstrating why Shakopee is such a great place to live. With the constant headlines law enforcement was facing at the time, we really needed that night together. It is one of the best days I’ve ever had in a Shakopee uniform.”

Jeff Tate Police Chief

Sincerely, Jeff Tate, Shakopee Police Chief

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