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Community Corner

Lakeville PD Hosts Open House

Editor’s Note: The following submission is from Lakeville Police Chief Thomas Vonhof.
Every year during National Police Week (the week each year that May 15 falls in), we host an open house event at the Lakeville Police Station. Saturday, May 18, was the day this year that we hosted our LPD Annual Open House and, in spite of the cold and rainy weather, we had a great turnout. Over 230 residents and citizens stopped by the station for tours and to get a chance to get a close up look at police cars and the special police equipment on display.
Dakota County Sheriff Dave Bellows stopped by and brought with him a 1959 Ford Dakota County Sheriff’s squad that has been completely restored. In addition, the Dakota County Sheriff’s Department Water Enforcement Deputy, Matt Regis, brought the DCSO airboat for people to see. Lakeville Officer Jim Dronen, who also serves as a member of the Dakota County multi-jurisdictional SWAT team called MAAG, brought the MAAG armored vehicle for display at the open house. Our Lakeville Fire Department also had a fire engine on display and a crew of firefighters at the event.
Community Outreach Officer Kevin O’Neill organized and coordinated the open house this year and was assisted by Community Service Officers and Police Reserve Officers in giving tours and greeting guests to the Police Station. Due to the overcast weather this weekend, unfortunately the Minnesota State Patrol helicopter was not at the event this year.
In addition to going on the Police Station tour and checking out the police specialized equipment and police vehicles on display, attendees could also attend Lakeville Heart Restart hands-only CPR training classes that were offered during the event. The LPD open house was very popular once again this year and many families indicated that they had enjoyed the event so much last year that they came back again this year. We appreciate the support of our citizens and the participation of the Dakota County Sheriff’s Department as well as the Lakeville Fire Department in the LPD open house event this year.
POLICE HONOR GUARD AT LAW ENFORCEMENT MEMORIAL
Police Officers from across the State of Minnesota serve on the Law Enforcement Honor Guard for LEMA (Law Enforcement Memorial Association). Officer Chad Loeffler has served on the LEMA Honor Guard Unit for a number of years. Last week on National Police Memorial Day on May 15, Officer Loeffler joined other members of the LEMA Honor Guard in standing honor guard duty at the Minnesota Law Enforcement Memorial on the Minnesota State Capitol grounds in St. Paul in honor and memory of those Minnesota police officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice and given their lives in the line of duty.
FIRST AID REFRESHER COURSE AT LPD
All police officers in Minnesota are required to maintain a first responder level of emergency first aid certification, so that they are trained to provide assistance in medical emergencies. As part of maintaining the certification, all officers are required to attend in- service training every two years. All our officers just completed the refresher course involving both classroom and practical exercises that was taught by Allina paramedics. In addition to reviewing first aid treatment for many common emergency situations, one new portion of the refresher course focused on the emergency first aid and management of trauma wounds utilizing tourniquets. The course was put on at Lakeville Police Station in three training sessions over the past month.
WEEKLY LPD SNAPSHOT
Sampling of LPD activity for the week of May 16 – 23, 2013 Traffic crashes 21 Alarms 17 Animal Calls 16 Medical Emergency Calls 33 Thefts 21 Traffic Stops 173
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