City of Richfield Police Department

The countdown is on! We are only one week away from joining together as a community to support the athletes of Special Olympics Minnesota. Visit the Richfield Dunkin' location at 6529 Penn Avenue South to make your contribution and earn a free donut! We hope to see you there on August 16th. This event is a part of the Special Olympics Minnesota Law Enforcement Torch Run.

Thank you to EVERYONE for another awesome Night to Unite!! We appreciate the support and opportunity to connect with the community. Feel free to post your NTU party photos in the comments. We love to see them.

In two weeks, your morning Dunkin run might just create a champion! The annual fundraiser with the Special Olympics Minnesota Law Enforcement Torch Run will be hosted at Richfield's Dunkin' (6529 Penn Avenue South) on Friday, August 16, from 6:00 - 11:00 AM. We hope to see you at your favorite participating Dunkin' location to support the athletes of Special Olympics Minnesota.

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Save the date! We invite our community to meet us at your participating Dunkin' locations as members of the Special Olympics Minnesota Law Enforcement Torch Run will be on hand to help raise funds for the athletes of Special Olympics Minnesota. On Friday, August 16th from 6 – 11 am, we will be at Richfield's Dunkin' Donuts, 6529 Penn Avenue South. We hope you will join us to support this organization!”

Night to Unite is Tues., August 6! Don't forget to register your party by Tues., July 23. For more information and registration, check out www.RichfieldMN.gov/ntu.

If your block isn't a part of Neighborhood Crime Watch and you’d like to get your block organized, please contact the Richfield Police Crime Prevention Unit at 612-861-9845 or check out RichfieldMN.gov/ncw for more info.

Richfield police officers recently hosted Storytime in the Park at Augsburg Adventure Park! For more information and future events, see:

https://visitrichfield.com/venue/augsburg-adventure-park/

Check out the new Richfield Citizen Connect site that allows you to see police activity which includes Incidents, Cases and Arrests. This site has been created to allow our community members to stay connected and informed. For safety reasons, the locations are anonymized on the block to prevent the exact location from being shown. Please also note that the data shown on Citizen Connect is delayed by twenty-four hours.

edinamn-pd-richfieldmn.connect.socrata.com

The storms last night caused many to lose power. If you're stuck in the heat, here are some cooling options!

https://www.hennepin.us/en/residents/health-medical/cooling-options?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2DvINi8d_csX-WUQ0W3-HZ_jxW6ON_PlCiffFRtP3Ydy_ZSS1cdt1P174_aem_341D9wTfQ5FQYYcoRFuwzw

Cooling options Find places to keep cool on hot summer days in Hennepin County.

Night to Unite is Tues., August 6. Don’t forget to register your block party at www.RichfieldMN.gov/ntu. Deadline to register is July 23.
If your block doesn’t have a Neighborhood Crime Watch and you’d like to get your block organized, please contact the RPD Crime Prevention Unit at 612-861-9845.

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Richfield is a participant in Minnesota’s Toward Zero Deaths traffic safety program and is a member of a 7-agency partnership within Hennepin County that employs an interdisciplinary approach to reducing traffic crashes, injuries and DEATHS on MN roads. Traffic death statistics aren’t just numbers. Each one represents a lost life that devastates the world of that person’s family and friends, so enforcement of traffic laws is a necessary reminder to drivers.

Minnesotans made significant progress over the years to reduce traffic fatalities, but the challenge now is to regain momentum in SAVING LIVES. Over the last 10 years, we haven’t seen the consistent, significant reduction in traffic deaths compared to the first decade of the TZD program. The past three years have seen new challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic that led to less traffic and more speeding.

Enforcement mobilizations are scheduled throughout the year and the partner agencies work together to educate drivers and provide enforcement in Richfield, Bloomington, Edina, Eden Prairie, Hopkins, St. Louis Park, and around the Minneapolis Airport. Annual Enforcement Mobilizations include:

• Speed Enforcement
• Click It or Ticket Seat Belt
• Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over
• Distracted Driving Enforcement

Residents should know citations are not the huge “money makers” for agencies as some on social media believe. For each citation, there is a $75 criminal/traffic surcharge and a $3 Hennepin County law library fee. If it is a speeding citation for 20 or more miles over the posted limit, there is an additional surcharge. These surcharges go to the state general fund to be used for education, domestic violence advocacy and conservation projects, etc. The remaining funds are split between the state’s general fund, the county and the cities.

Last week we had a full class for Home Alone Safety Day! Kids prepared to be alone for short periods of time by learning home, internet, bike, kitchen, and fire safety. They also made first-aid kits and got to meet Riggs, one of our K-9s!

This class is for children 9-12 years old and is offered 3-4 times each year. The August session is full, but we’ve added a class on November 7 (a Richfield non-school day for K-5). Registration opens August 19 at www.RichfieldMN.gov/register. The Richfield Community Ed fall catalog registration opens on August 14th, https://richfield.ce.eleyo.com

On June 19th, Chief Jay Henthorne and Lt. Joe Griffin joined the tribute for Officer Jamal Mitchell at the Minnesota Twins game.

They stood alongside the fallen hero’s family and friends, the Minneapolis Police Department, and other public safety partners as Officer Mitchell was honored for his heroic service and ultimate sacrifice.

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It’s early but we’d like you to mark your calendars for August 15! Join us for “Unity in the Community” brought to you by the Richfield Police Department & Joint Community Police Partnership. This event promotes unity by showcasing the diversity of our city and creating a space for networking, learning and celebration. It’s a great opportunity to make connections with Richfield families in a non-enforcement situation.

NIGHT TO UNITE Block Party Registration is open! Richfield neighborhoods, get ready to party on Tuesday, August 6. This annual celebration is a chance for neighbors to gather and get to know one another and promote community safety. Parties must register to receive visits from Richfield Police, Fire and other city officials. Deadline to register is July 23. Please note: Visits are not guaranteed. Info and registration at www.richfieldmn.gov/ntu.

If your block isn’t already an official Crime Watch block, please contact the Richfield Crime Prevention Unit at 612-861-9845 to learn how to join or check out www.richfieldmn.gov/ncw.

RPD was a part of the Richfield State of the Community event yesterday. Staff hosted a resource table and had the opportunity to connect with many residents. Officer Quanbeck & K-9 Orion joined in the fun too!

There are dozens of walkers and joggers throughout the community at all times of the day, all days of the week, in all weather conditions. We encourage these individuals to assist RPD as extra “eyes and ears” of the community who report suspicious activity. This means focusing on surroundings and avoiding distractions such as texting, scrolling, noise cancelling earbuds, and phone calls during their neighborhood exercise.

Timely reporting is imperative. Suspicious/criminal activity may be:
• Car Prowlers
• People in City Parks after 10PM
• Cars driving slowly through neighborhoods—looking in open garages, stopping at mailboxes or stealing packages
• Solicitors without permits
• Vehicles parked in unusual locations—closed businesses, vacant lots, constructions sites at night, etc.
• Vehicles driving with no headlights or driving erratic

Call 911 immediately with:
• A description of the activity (what you see)
• The location/address
• Physical description, clothing description, vehicle description w/license plate, if available

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Effective training helps officers better understand and respond to the needs of our community, as well as ensure their safety and the safety of those around them. Last Thursday, officers spent the day on firearm ranges and went through numerous scenarios that focused on tactics, officer safety and de-escalation. At the conclusion of each scenario, officers and instructors conducted a de-briefing to go over what went well and what could be done better.

Last evening, Minneapolis Police Officer Jamal Mitchell, along with many other police officers, fire fighters, and EMS personnel, did not hesitate to respond to a call to protect the people of their community. Sadly, numerous individuals were shot - including Officer Mitchell, who was killed. Please keep Officer Jamal Mitchell’s family, the other injured individuals, the Minneapolis Police Department, and our communities in your thoughts and prayers as we navigate this difficult time.

It’s bicycle season and time to promote safe riding. BikeMN.org is a great resource for:

• The MN Bicycling Handbook
• MN Bike Law FAQs
• Tips for Fitting a Bike Hemet
• Theft Prevention
• E-bike & Commuter Resources
• Much more!

MN Bicycling Handbook - Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota Download the Handbook in English, Spanish, and Somali. MN Bicycling Handbook Tips for Riding Legally and Safely

The MADD Minnesota Statewide Recognition Awards event highlights individuals and entities that embrace MADD's mission to end drunk driving, help fight drugged driving, support the victims of these violent crimes, and prevent underage drinking. MADD Minnesota recently recognized recipients and nominees, including Richfield Police Officer Mario Leon, for their hard work and dedication to keeping our roadways and communities safe. Great job, Mario!

https://madd.org/minnesota/ler_recognition/

If you’re traveling during this weekend, buckle up, slow down, drive distraction free and check the MN DOT Construction Map (https://www.dot.state.mn.us/construction) to find out about road construction projects in MN. Don’t drive impaired! Impaired driving means operating a motor vehicle while you are affected by:

• Alcohol
• Legal or illegal drugs
• Sleepiness
• Distractions, such as using a cell phone or texting
• Having a medical condition which affects your driving