Blog

The Brooklyn Park Police Department safely and professionally handled a dangerous incident a few weeks ago. These situations are risky for both officers and suspects, but in this case, no one was injured. Unfortunately, situations like this  do sometimes end with officers, suspects, or bystanders being injured or killed, so stories like this make us all grateful for the officers who wake up each and every day to handle whatever comes their way.

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I am always grateful to hear about our Minnesota communities going above and beyond to recognize the brave men and women who serve in law enforcement. A few weeks ago, Lakeville Police Officer Casey King was recognized by the Lakeville Public Safety Foundation for all he has done to serve his community.

Prior to 2020, the Lakeville Public Safety Foundation annually held a large fundraising event on the anniversary of 9/11. This September, however, with many families being under the economic stress of COVID-19 and social distancing protocols, the Foundation and its president, Shanen Corlett, decided to still recognize one officer and one firefighter but instead deliver appreciation baskets to each firefighter, police officer, and administrative staff member in Lakeville.

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I think we all appreciate now more than ever efforts by police departments to increase transparency, communication, and representation with the communities they serve. Relationships are key in law enforcement work, and I applaud the departments and officers who continue to strive to build these relationships with every member of their communities.

Last week, the Waite Park Police Department announced that it had applied for and received a grant from the state of Minnesota for its Pathways to Policing program. Pathways to Policing strives to recruit candidates who are interested in law enforcement as a profession but are currently working in another field. This grant gives Waite Park Police Chief Dave Bentrud the opportunity to hire additional officers who will have both the passion and the ability to become an officer and then start building these relationships even if they are from different professional backgrounds.

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Today, I want you to meet Karla Bearce. Since she was in middle school, Karla has known exactly how she wanted to serve her community and help save lives. And a personal experience has only strengthened that commitment.

In 7th grade civics class, Karla Bearce knew she wanted to work in law enforcement when her local police chief came and spoke to her class. The chief shared that his job was different each and every day, and from that moment on, Karla knew what she wanted to do.

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