Spring 2022 Hometown Messenger

A Look Back During the 1970s, Minnesota chapters of the JCI (also called the Jaycees) held an annual Minnesota Honey Sunday event in the spring to raise funds to support programs for and awareness of intellectually disabled youth In April 1971, the Shakopee Jaycees requested City Council rec ognize the statewide and local fundraising event At its April 8 meeting, Council approved a resolution proclaiming April 25 as Shakopee’s official “Honey Sunday” Specifically, a portion of the entire funds raised throughout Min nesota that year went toward the replacement of Camp Friend ship’s main lodge, which had burned down in 1968 Established in 1964 and started by a group of parents, Camp Friendship pro vided both training and a camp experience for intellectually dis abled children The national JCI was started in St Louis, Mo in 1920 by Henry Giessenbier Originally, the JCI’s purpose was to give young men access to work opportunities they would not otherwise have The program educated these youth through education and skill development In 1963, Shakopee JCI was founded and continues today to support the JCI mission“to provide development oppor tunities that empower young people to create positive change” For more information about JCI, visit www jcishakopee org

NIGHT TO UNITE Each summer the city celebrates Night to Unite the first Tuesday in August Night to Unite celebrates and strengthens neighborhood and community partnerships between residents and their local law enforcement and first responders If you’re unfamiliar with this fun filled evening, here’s what you need to know: HOW DO I GET INVOLVED? To register for the event and host a block party, head over to www.ShakopeeMN.gov/nighttounite WHO CAN BE INVOLVED? Anyone in the Shakopee community can participate People are encouraged to map their location during registration so there are no duplicate parties in the same neighborhood A safe place to call home Shakopee crime rate takes a dip After a tough year riddled with pandemic upheaval and anxiety inducing headlines, Shakopee residents can take solace in the city’s crime rate dropping to the third lowest its been in over 25 years “We are very proud of the work we’ve done and want people to know this is a safe community,” Police Chief Jeff Tate said “The third lowest crime rate in over 25 years is a testament to the type of community and police department we have” The crime rate is defined as the number of crimes committed per 100,000 people In 2021, the city’s crime rate was 5 91%, dipping slightly from the 2020 crime rate of 5 95% Tate was particularly struck by the fact the overall crime rate went down despite an increase in number of police calls and arrests “That bodes well for our case clearance rate, or the number of cases we are able to solve,” he said The most serious crimes, classified as “part one” crimes, decreased 1 71% overall from 2020 In particular, assaults were down 28%, and burglaries were down 48% Vehicle thefts also dropped by 17% in 2021 compared to 2020 Reports of “part two”crimes—such as stolen property, fraud, vandalism, embezzlement and DUIs—stayed relatively stable with 2020 levels, see ing an overall drop of 2% There was a marked increase in DUI arrests, however, from 148 total in 2020 to 201 total in 2021 Tate said the DUI numbers are discouraging, but the overall relation ship between increasing arrest numbers and a decreasing crime rate is encouraging as a general rule “We’re arresting more people on fewer crimes,” he said “Our case clearance rates remain above the metro average When we do have a crime, our clearance rates demonstrate that we are doing something about it ” Tate attributes the decreasing crime rate trend to his department’s community policing efforts, which involve a significant amount of trust building and engagement among residents and visitors “Community policing works, and not just in 2021,” he said “The last 10 years have all seen significantly low crime rates Social media might tell another story because of state and national headlines, but here in Shakopee we live in a very safe community” #AsktheCity

Promotional material from the Jaycees' Honey Sunday

CAN SCHOOLS OR BUSINESSES PARTICIPATE? Schools can host a get-together in their parking lots, and businesses often use it as an opportunity to connect with local residents who could become clientele WHERE IS THE PARTY? There are parties all over the city! These are typically outdoor, resident hosted block parties for neighbors to gather, get to know each other, build community trust and introduce children to the first responders that will stop by your party if registered WHAT IF I HAVE QUESTIONS? Contact Nicole Clifton, Crime Prevention Specialist at 952-233-9441 or send an email to nclifton@ShakopeeMN.gov

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