2023 Blaine Police Department Annual Report

Message from Chief Podany

Welcome to the 2023 Blaine Police Department Annual Report. I am both honored and humbled to serve you and update you on the incredible things happening in public safety here in Blaine. The members of the Blaine Police Department are always here and eager to help you.

As our Blaine Community continues to see significant growth, we strive to be innovative in providing the best public safety service to our residents, businesses, and visitors. This can only be achieved by working in partnership with others in our community. The support we receive from our community members and elected officials keeps our staff motivated to provide the best policing services possible. These are the relationships that make public safety so successful.

Despite being one of the ten largest cities in the State of Minnesota, Blaine maintains a small town feel where we strive for everyone to feel and be safe. For the past six years, we have seen a continued decline in Part I and Part II Crimes. Our Part I crimes decreased approximately 35 percent in that time frame, and our Part II crimes decreased approximately 45 percent. These numbers are flat numbers and are not represented as a percentage of overall calls for police service. In that same time frame our population increased significantly and our police calls for service have increased 54 percent. Taken as a percentage of overall calls for service, the Part I and Part II crime numbers are even more significant. The investments and support for safety in Blaine have been a resounding success and it is only through our trust and relationships that we can continue this level of service.

Technology and innovation are changing the face of policing. While our basic mission has remained consistent, how we provide those services is evolving. Blaine Police staff members are trained well beyond industry minimum standards and are entrusted and expected to serve with compassion and respect to everyone we encounter. The evolving challenge of mental health and substance abuse presents public safety and societal challenges that we continually adapt to in attempts to preserve life and provide peaceful resolutions. Working with fellow service providers and utilizing alternative methods to meet those challenges is essential to our success. The Blaine Police Department now has an embedded mental health professional to address community mental health and addiction needs and was recently awarded a grant through the International Association of Chiefs of Police for a full time victim services specialist, which will be implemented in 2024. Blaine is one of only a couple police departments in the State of Minnesota that have a dedicated victim service provider. This is demonstrative of our commitment to assisting victims and the prevention of crime.

Community outreach is an essential part of policing in Blaine. Led by our community outreach coordinator and community outreach officer, we maintain and promote heavy community involvement across all segments of our community. Outreach is a basic tenant and expectation of every member of the Blaine Police Department and in addition to existing outreach programming, we are now developing a Blaine Police Community Alliance group that will meet monthly on public safety issues. Additionally, we have our new community outreach trailer that has been completed and you can expect to see at various locations and events in Blaine.

There are many technological advances we have made on the horizon. As you review this report, you will see first hand not only the people (and K9’s!) that make the Blaine Police Department great, but also some of the technology and programs that help us in that journey.

Through our core values of integrity, respect, and professionalism, we will continue to make Blaine the greatest Police Department in the greatest community. Many people have given so much of themselves in furtherance of this mission. I ask you to continue to support our public safety professionals and get involved with our many outreach endeavors so that we can continue to provide you with superior policing service. Thank you for taking the time to review this annual report and for your support of the Blaine Police Department.

Please remember to follow our Blaine Police Department social media accounts and visit our website at BlaineSafetyServices.com for more information.

Brian Podany Chief of Police Blaine Police Department

Organizational Structure

Staffing

The department continued efforts to increase staffing according to the five year staffing plan which includes adding two additional patrol officers each year to the overall authorized strength. The numbers below reflect where the department was on December 31, 2023.

Authorized Strength 77 Sworn Officers 18 Professional Staff

Operating Budget

$15.9M

Mission Statement

As proud members of our community, we, the members of the Blaine Police Department, strive to enhance the quality of life in Blaine by serving with integrity, respect, and professionalism. Core Values Integrity, Respect, and Professionalism

Giving Back totheCommunity

Polar Plunge

The annual Polar Plunge was held at Crooked Lake in Coon Rapids. Plungers jumped into icy cold waters to raise money for Special Olympics MN. Team Blaine had a good turnout of police staff.

Guns-NHoses

The 7th annual Guns-N-Hoses charity hockey game raises funds to support families of fallen heroes. The guns took home the trophy once again displayed here with some of the Blaine Police Department players.

Department joined region for the Law Enforcement Torch Run to raise money staff ran or biked Police Department to the Spring Lake

Heroes & Helpers

The 14th annual Heroes & Helpers event was made possible again this year by generous donations from Target, the Blaine Police Federation, and the Blaine Festival. The program made it possible for 60 kids to shop at Target and bring gifts home for their families with the help and guidance of the Blaine police staff and other first responders in the community.

Community Engagement

Safety Camp

The annual Blaine Safety Camp was held in August at SBM Fire Station 3. Incoming fourth graders experience two days of learning and fun. This very popular event focuses on teaching kids how to be safe in a variety of situations. Blaine police officers participate as group leaders and give several demonstrations and safety tips.

Citizens Academy

The Blaine Citizens Academy is an eight-week course designed to introduce residents to the structure and daily operations of the Blaine Police, Fire, and Community Standards departments. The fast-paced academy provides both classroom and hands-on training, offering a fun and safe behind-the-scenes look at the functions of safety services. The academy is free to anyone who lives or works in Blaine.

Night to Unite

Night to Unite is all about building community and trust. Over 100 Blaine neighborhoods hosted block parties. Public safety personnel, including many from the police department along with the City Councilmembers, made stops at multiple parties all over the City.

56,958 Calls for Service

72,470 Policing Population

3,181

Total Arrests

3,731 Citations Issued

1,337 Accidents

564 Animal Complaints

0 Homicides

7 Robberies

2,057 Medicals

511 Gun Permits Processed

55 Burglaries

26 Catalytic Converter Thefts

Crime Statistics 5-Year Trend

Part I Crimes

Part I crimes are the most serious offenses.

Part II Crimes

Part II crimes are less serious offenses.

Administrative Services

The administrative services division is led by Captain Joe Gerhard and he is responsible for managing department training, policies, support services/ records unit, evidence/property room, school resource officers, community outreach, and mental health programs, as well as the department’s employee wellness program.

Administrative Services Sergeant Mike Rygg oversees training, school resource officers, employee onboarding, and the field training program.

Training

The training unit is responsible for facilitating, coordinating, and maintaining all department training as well as verifying that all sworn officers maintain MN POST required training.

The training unit conducts department wide training for use of force and firearms. A dedicated training building is utilized for law enforcement training such as de-escalation, simunitions, Taser, 40mm less lethal launchers, and Mobile Field Force. Scenario based training that closely resembles a real-world stress response has been prioritized.

This was the first year contracting with Law Enforcement Training Academy & Consulting (LETAC) for in person training. This was a move away from the previous online training.

Field trainers received new software through PowerFTO. This allowed for a paperless field training management and tracking program. More information can be found on page 19.

Policies

The police department contracts with Lexipol, a national law enforcement policy company that ensures policies are legal and defensible, and that best practices are followed. The department’s policy and procedure manuals were completely updated in 2023. The policy manual is available on the department’s website as part of our commitment to transparency with the public.

Support Services/Records

The records unit is under the supervision of Administrative Services Coordinator Brooke Jacobson. This position was converted from support services manager to incorporate the supervision of the functions of the evidence/ property room. The records team consists of one lead technician and four record technicians. New records technician AnnMarie Busack joined the team in July.

The five member team provides support services to department staff, a variety of agencies, as well as to the general public. They continue to utilize the latest technology to move documents and reports through various systems ensuring an efficient workflow.

A five year trend of incident reports processed is displayed below. There was a minimal increase in reports processed from the previous year.

Evidence/Property Room

The evidence department is responsible for receiving and maintaining the chain of custody for all physical and digital evidence that is taken in by the police department. They also fulfill digital data requests. Administrative Services Coordinator, Brooke Jacobson, supervises the unit.

There were 3,988 items of evidence taken in, 993 items disposed of, and 221 items returned to the owner. This was a slight decrease from the previous year. There were also 76 data requests received from the public and 1,638 digital media requests for discovery which was a significant increase from the previous year.

School Resource Officers (SROs)

School resource officers are responsible for safety and crime prevention in schools. SROs are assigned to Blaine and Centennial High Schools, Roosevelt Middle School, and Westwood Intermediate and Middle School. They work closely with school administrators to create a safer environment for both students and staff.

The department’s SROs were unable to return to the schools for the 2023-2024 school year due to a change in state law that restricted the use of force by SROs. Therefore, the former SROs became juvenile officers and were assigned to patrol districts near their respective schools until changes were made to the state law.

Tou Vang patrolled Blaine High School, Jackie Wagner patrolled Centennial High School, and Mark Allen patrolled Rosevelt Middle School. This was a coordinated effort by the Blaine Police Department to maintain the safety and security at the schools until there was a legislative fix to the statute.

Chief Podany attended several press conferences and meetings on behalf of Anoka County law enforcement agencies to find a legislative fix due to the implications of the state law changes. He is pictured to the right speaking at the Minnesota State Capitol on August 30, 2023.

3,988 PIECES OF EVIDENCE COLLECTED

993 ITEMS DISPOSED OF

221 ITEMS RETURNED TO THE OWNER

Mental Health Program

Amanda Terwey was the department’s mental health coordinator through October when she left to pursue other interests.

The responsibilities of the mental health coordinator are to co-respond with officers on inprogress crisis calls and complete on-scene assessments and referrals. Response plans are created for officers and resources are provided to individuals in a very timely manner. Increased community awareness is also provided. Although mental health calls continue to increase overall, this program has been able to decrease the number of repeat calls to specific individuals. The program will continue to develop and adapt as the demand for a licensed mental health response rises.

Police Officer Wellness by Enhancing Resiliency (P.O.W.E.R.) Program

The police department is proud to partner with Marie Ridgeway and Associates since 2019 for their wellness program services. It is extremely important to the mission of the department that the wellbeing of every staff member is supported through having access to mental wellness professionals anytime it is needed for any reason.

Mental health professionals from Marie Ridgeway & Associates conduct yearly check-ins for all staff, critical incident debriefings for officers, new officer healthy family presentations, and provide ongoing mental health support and information for all staff members. All meetings are kept confidential.

The department also has a peer support program available to officers. Currently, there are eight trained peer support team members. The peer support team is dedicated to providing emotional support and understanding to public safety professionals who have experienced stress or trauma. The team is also a part of a larger Anoka County Public Safety Peer Support Group.

Community Outreach Program

Emily Douglas is the community outreach coordinator. The unit was expanded to include Officer Brian Wiens. Both work collectively to manage the many outreach initiatives within the City. Both have multiple public presentations that include active shooter training, elementary school safety patrol, healthy/unhealthy relationships, robbery presentations, and many more.

An enclosed trailer was purchased for community outreach events. Several donations along with a grant from the MCPA (MN Chiefs of Police Association) helped fund the trailer and graphics. The trailer has been used for several events and its use will increase for many years to come. See page 17 for more details.

The unit is responsible for social media communications as well as coordinating all the many events that bring the community and the police department together. The department uses several different social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X, and Nextdoor as a way to broadcast up to date information and news to the public. Some of the many events that were coordinated include Night to Unite, Senior Safety Seminars, Coffee with a Cop, a Winter Coat and Toy Drive, Heroes and Helpers, and many more.

22,446 FOLLOWERS, UP 1,445 FROM 2022

2,673 FOLLOWERS, UP 204 FROM 2022

2,711 FOLLOWERS, UP 337 FROM 2022

22,608 MEMBERS, UP 1,644 FROM 2022

Highlights from the Year Challenge Coin

The department developed its first ever challenge coin which represents the department’s core values along with several items that are unique to Blaine. The coin is in the shape of handcuffs as our police department is responsible for enforcing the law and protecting the public. Each side of the coin is explained in detail below.

Department Core Values

Department Badge

City of Blaine Logo

US Flag as we are sworn to uphold the Constitution of the United States

Department Name

Latin phrase: “Not for self, but for others”

Department Patch

The golf flag/ball, soccer ball and hockey puck represents the sports hub that Blaine is, drawing millions to our community

The airplane represents the Anoka County-Blaine Airport (Janes Field) The sunrise represents our growing community with bright horizons ahead, and perceiving it as a sunset represents the peaceful community we strive to create

The road represents we are a destination city as we attract visitors from all over the world

Blaine PD Logo

Community Outreach Trailer

The community outreach team completed a long-anticipated project of acquiring an outreach trailer that can be brought to community events. The trailer was made possible by generous donations from residents and business members of the community, as well as a Community Partnership Grant from the MN Chiefs of Police Foundation.

The trailer is wrapped in graphics that represent the City of Blaine, from the many sporting events that happen here in the City along with our community partnership with citizens and law enforcement.

Donors and sponsors are also listed on the trailer as a visible reminder and thank you to all those who made this project possible.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH COORDINATOR EMILY DOUGLAS AND OFFICER BRIAN WIENS DISPLAYING THE

MN CHIEFS OF POLICE FOUNDATION GRANT AWARD

Patrol Division

The patrol division is led by Captain Matt Carlson who has been with the department for over 19 years, serving the last five years as patrol captain.

The division is comprised of 40 patrol officers and eight supervisors. They operate on 12-hour shifts with transitions generally occurring at 6AM and 6PM. A mid-shift team begins their patrol days at 10AM to cover the period when call volumes are at their peak.

The patrol division has several specialty units and assignments including traffic unit, dedicated DWI enforcement, K9 unit, bike patrol, retail specialists, community assistance team, explorer advisors, and reserve coordinators. These specialty units and assignments fill certain niches that contribute to a more well-rounded agency as well as providing some variety and career opportunities for patrol staff.

Besides conducting self-initiated activities such as traffic enforcement and routine patrols, the division responded to 56,958 calls for service, representing a 10 percent increase from last year.

Police calls for service have increased an average of 7.8 percent per year since 2016.

Traffic Enforcement Unit

An important component of a public safety plan is the enforcement of traffic laws. The department’s dedicated traffic enforcement unit was comprised of Officers Trent Bachman and Dan Zimmerman and was supervised by Sergeant Zach Johnson who took over supervisory duties mid-year.

The traffic enforcement unit responds to driving complaints and uses an analytical approach to problem solving to determine the validity of the concern before deploying additional resources. They also assist the engineering department with collecting data and proposing solutions to traffic complaints and roadway design issues. They have several tools to aid in the collection of data including both discreet data collection devices and driver feedback signs that are deployed to change driver behavior. They continue to strive to have the most efficient and effective traffic enforcement unit possible.

Traffic Safety Week

The traffic enforcement unit conducted its second annual traffic safety week from June 5-9. This event is designed to draw attention to the importance of traffic safety using pre-event publicity, roadway signs, a booth at the Blaine Festival, and a highly visible saturation style enforcement/education approach. Resources were received from the MN State Patrol with their aircraft and commercial vehicle inspectors along with other members of the police department that were redeployed for this enforcement event.

Each day of traffic safety week, a member of the traffic unit works with the communications team to publish social media messages announcing the enforcement focus of the day. The saturation event focuses on speeding, pedestrians (crosswalks/jaywalking), commercial vehicle inspections, distracted driving, and DWI/ street racing. The week long event resulted in 275 traffic stops, 152 citations, and 262 verbal warnings with officers concentrating their efforts on Hwy 65 between 109th Avenue and Highway 10, and 85th and University Avenues.

3,656 TOTAL STOPS

2,523 TOTAL WARNINGS

251 TOTAL ARRESTS

2,448 TOTAL CITATIONS

Highlights of Traffic Safety Week:

 DWI arrest of a female at a .23 BAC with three unbuckled children in the vehicle.

 A traffic stop with five children without proper child safety devices. The officer making the stop followed the driver home and helped install the proper child restraint devices.

Distracted Driving Enforcement Vehicle

A new distracted driving enforcement vehicle was added to the fleet in late 2023 and has been utilized by the traffic enforcement unit to target hands free violations. The vehicle is a Chevy Silverado with a 6-inch lift. Officers must see a cell phone in a driver's hand to enforce hands free violations. This truck gives officers a high vantage point to observe, document, and curb this dangerous driving behavior.

DWI Enforcement Officer

The dedicated DWI enforcement officer in 2023 was Officer Jake Cree. Through enforcement of the DWI laws, 83 impaired drivers were removed from the roadways in Blaine. Funding for this

dedicated position is provided by the MN Department of Public Safety, Office of Traffic Safety - DWI Enforcement Grant. Supervision of this grant officer position transitioned from Sergeant Nate Hatanpa to Sergeant Zach Johnson mid-year.

Sergeant Hatanpa earned an achievement award that was presented to him at the annual Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) awards banquet for his leadership in coordinating the Towards Zero Deaths initiative and advocating for Safer Streets through his leadership.

The patrol K-9 unit is comprised of three handlers and their canine partners. The most senior and highly experienced member of the unit is Officer Reggie Larson. He is teamed up with Hector, a 3-year old Belgian Malinois. Officer Larson is in his 14th year as a handler and works tirelessly to maintain his elite reputation among K-9 handlers metro-wide. Officer Kelly Jahnke is teamed up with her K-9 partner Cuda, a 3-year old German Shepherd. Officer Alex Moore and his K-9 partner Andy, a 2-year old Shepherd mix, have been teamed up since August 2022.

The three member team had over 100 law enforcement specific deployments with 62 percent of the deployments occurring in Blaine and the remaining 38 percent assisting neighboring agencies. Many of the deployments were to conduct a vehicle sniff for narcotics during the course of an investigation involving a traffic stop. Other deployments were for tracking offenders who fled from a crime scene or finding missing vulnerable adults.

Additionally, the team was often called upon to

perform at 38 special events including demonstrations for Citizen’s Academy, Coffee with a Cop, Nite to Unite, elementary schools, and other public gatherings, to 2,000 Blaine residents. They also conduct walk-throughs at Northtown Mall, Lakeside Commons Park, and other locations where large groups tend to gather.

K9 Training

There is an enormous amount of training that goes into having a successful career as a handler/canine team. The three handler teams completed over 1,941 hours of training in 2023.

1,941 HOURS OF TRAINING

100 DEPLOYMENTS (LAW ENFORCEMENT SPECIFIC)

38 DEMONSTRATIONS PERFORMED FOR THE PUBLIC

Blaine hosted a monthly training for the Metro Training Group. Approximately 30 teams attended. Blaine also restarted “Trial Prep Days” for the regional patrol dog trial. Trainings were hosted two days a week from March 20 to June 21. That resulted in 30 training sessions with an average of 10 dogs per session. This prepared Blaine PD K9s for the test and assisted other agencies as well.

Community Service Officers (CSOs)

Sergeant Barry Koch oversees the CSO unit which is comprised of one full time and six part time employees. CSOs respond to a variety of nonemergency calls for service such as vehicle lockouts, animal complaints, motorist assists, and help with many functions within the department to keep things operating efficiently. The part-time CSOs are all students working towards acquiring a law enforcement degree that will make them eligible for a peace officer license through the MN POST Board.

CSOs assist with large scale City events including the 3M Open, the Blaine Festival, and community outreach events including Bark in the Park, Safety Camp, Heroes and Helpers, and Night to Unite.

A strong emphasis is placed on training and growth opportunities for the CSO staff. The department regularly conducts cross-training between CSOs and sworn staff. Each CSO is assigned a sworn officer mentor to help guide them throughout their journey.

Bike Patrol

The bike patrol unit consists of 15 officers who have completed certification through the International Police Mountain Bike Association (IPMBA). These officers logged 178 hours on the bikes this year between directed patrol in the retail and business districts, beach patrol, 3M Open tournament, and residential patrol.

The department added one electric bike and one traditional bike to the fleet, replacing two aging bicycles. The current fleet consists of three electric bikes and two traditional pedal bikes.

Retail Unit

The retail unit is primarily responsible for providing enhanced patrol in the greater Northtown commercial district as well as serving as liaisons for retailers citywide. The dedicated officers of the retail unit consists of Officer Mike Vollman and Officer Nate Peterson who took over for Officer Jake Green mid-year. They work to build relationships with retailers and visitors to Northtown Mall as well as adjacent businesses. Detective Paul Estby also works with the retail unit as the investigative liaison.

A significant emphasis was placed on proactively patrolling the greater Northtown retail patrol district that includes Northtown Mall and surrounding businesses. This retail concentrated area alone generated 3,961 calls for service. There were 334 calls involving theft, 1,282 traffic stops conducted, and 110 citations issued.

The retail unit, with help from the special operations unit, organized four multi-discipline saturation events aimed at identifying repeat offenders and deterring theft crimes. These events, often assisted by neighboring agencies of Spring Lake Park, Fridley, and Coon Rapids, result in deterring crime and its impact in this concentrated high retail volume area.

Statistics of the four saturation details:

Community Assistance Team

(CAT)

The community assistance team is comprised of four dedicated police officers who work tirelessly to assist the more vulnerable population in our community. Officers Alex Arnsdorf, Grant Breems, TJ Brownell, and Sam Klimisch make up this important team.

The team responds to and provides additional resources to vulnerable residents. The program receives referrals from patrol staff in the course of responding to calls for service. When a resident of Blaine is found to have mental health or medical concerns that generate repeat calls for service, an assessment is conducted to determine if county resources are warranted. These resources may include mental health, financial, or housing specialists.

Field Training Officer Program (FTO)

Sergeant Mike Rygg oversees our field training program. As the field training program coordinator, he is responsible for scheduling and tracking the progress of all new officer recruits.

The field training program starts with a three week inhouse academy session that provides a strong foundation for the rigorous field based training that follows. Officer trainees are paired up with a variety of veteran field training officers who work with them side-by-side to build the skills and confidence needed to be a professional police officer. The training schedule consists of sixty 12-hour shifts with the trainee taking on additional responsibilities as they progress through the program.

As trainees work their way through the four field training phases, the FTO coordinator reports to the field training advisory board. The board approves continued advancement or makes referrals for additional training. In 2023, 11 officers entered the field training program and their progress was monitored utilizing a new web-based system called PowerFTO. This new tool allows for real-time updating and reporting to the FTO Coordinator. It provides instant feedback to the trainee that helps direct their energy towards the areas that require improvement or additional training. The PowerFTO program was instituted by Sergeant Rygg and Captain Gerhard and has significantly improved our training methods and documentation standards.

22 | Blaine Police Department

Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS)

In October 2023, the department established an Unmanned Aerial System (Drone) unit. We began the training of 16 officers to become certified FAA Part 107 Pilots and purchased a DJI Matrice M30T UAS. The use of drones provides many benefits to public safety during emergency responses by quickly locating missing persons, dangerous suspects, surveying scenes of natural disasters, and assisting in security assessments for the many

Matrice M30T Specs:

 40 minute flight time

 36x zoom camera

 Infrared thermal camera

 Spotlight and loudspeaker

 Laser rangefinder

 Top speed 50 mph

38 MISSIONS WITH 83 FLIGHTS

7 SEARCHES FOR FLEEING SUSPECTS

2 SEARCHES FOR MISSING PERSONS

Explorers Post

The Blaine Police Explorer Post was established in 1991 with a mission to provide youth ages 14-21 with an opportunity to learn about law enforcement through training, volunteering, and hands on experience. This is accomplished by attendance at weekly meetings, volunteering at community events, and riding along with officers to see law enforcement at work. The dedicated explorer advisors provide training to ensure success in a future law enforcement career if they so choose. They teach life skills, such as teamwork, leadership, conflict management, and decisive thinking which are transferable to any career.

The program has 12 active explorers who are both high school and college students. The program is managed by Lead Post Advisor Sergeant Hale and Assistant Lead Post Advisor Officer Klimisch. They are assisted by Officers Ahlers, Hancock, Blilie, Brownell, Traffie, and Sergeants Nordby and Villegas.

The Explorers attended the Minnesota Law Enforcement Exploring Association Annual Conference in Rochester on April 20-23. The conference put the explorers to the test in 13 competitive scenarios where they were challenged to perform at a very high level. Once again, the explorers represented Blaine well, earning nine awards in both team and individual competitions. For the second year in a row, a Blaine Explorer was elected to the position of State Youth Representative, to act as a liaison between the explorers association board, and all explorers in the state!

In addition to the state conference, a team of four explorers attended the Public Safety Cadet National Conference in Gatlinburg Tennessee in July. The team competed in several events and were able to network with other explorers and cadets from across the country.

The explorers also helped with major City events such as the 3M Open, the Blaine fireworks show and parade, and many other events in Blaine and surrounding communities. At these events, the explorers play an integral part in event operations and work extremely hard to ensure events are both successful and safe. The explorers volunteered a total of 874 hours at community events and logged a collective 988 hours of training time!

Reserves Unit

The police reserves unit is comprised of volunteers who donate their time to supplement the patrol division with uniformed patrols of the City and assisting with traffic direction and crowd control at larger City events. Some of the members are simply community members looking to be part of something significant in their community. Others join in order to explore the police profession to find out if it is a good fit for their career endeavors.

The reserves receive in-service training including use of force, report writing, patrol tactics, and attend monthly meetings. They are often asked to assist with non-emergency calls for service such as vehicle lockouts, motorist assists, and animal control calls.

Special Operations

Investigations

The special operations division is led by Captain Russ Clark who has been with the department for more than 20 years. He is responsible for overseeing investigations, the directed operations group, administrative investigations, and the drug task force unit.

The investigations unit is led by Sergeant Wes Villegas. He oversees 11 detectives and one crime analyst. The unit investigates violent crimes, property crimes, financial crimes, and crimes against children and vulnerable adults. All general detectives are trained through Corner House which teaches child forensic interviewing for child abuse and criminal sexual conduct cases.

The department worked with the patrol division to purchase and implement a new UAS unit. Detectives received training in warrant service entries throughout the year. They worked with the drug task force and conducted mobile surveillance training as well.

Crime Analyst Rebecca Florhaug works as part of our investigative team to assist detectives with suspect identification, cell phone forensics, crime pattern analysis, and crime mapping. She also gathers and analyzes statistics to facilitate growth and improvement of various units within the department.

Florhaug became a Certified Law Enforcement Analyst through the International Association of Crime Analysts, she is one of only three people in MN with this certification. She was also awarded the Crime Analyst Bulletin of the Year Award by the Midwest Association of Crime and Intelligence Analysts (MACIA.)

The division investigated a total of 1,182 cases in 2023. There were 511 gun permits to purchase backgrounds processed and 26 employment backgrounds completed.

Notable case investigations from the year:

 Detective Christensen worked a case of a stolen semi tractor from the 1700 block of Radisson Road. A multijurisdictional investigation occurred, involving southern Minnesota agencies, western Wisconsin, and the Dakotas. A suspect was identified and search warrants were executed. The suspect eventually crashed the semi and was found to be in possession of child pornography. He was charged with four different offenses in three states.

 Retail Detective Estby was assigned three robberies at local businesses. In all three cases he had very limited information to go on. He was able to identify the suspects in all three cases and arrests were made. After many hours of investigation, warrants were submitted to successfully bring these cases to conclusion.

 Detective Ross was assigned a criminal sexual conduct (CSC) case near the storage units on Ulysses Street. Detective Ross was able to identify the suspect and corroborate the victim’s story based on video obtained from local businesses. The suspect did not confess, but was ultimately charged with the CSC by the Anoka County Attorney’s Office.

 Detective Sommer investigated a string of pull tab burglaries affecting the entire metro area. Detective Sommer spearheaded a group of investigators from around the metro area to conduct surveillance on the suspected group. The suspects were eventually arrested.

 Detective Stefczak investigated a bomb explosion at an apartment complex. Detective Stefczak worked with the ATF, FBI, MPD Bomb Unit, the Anoka County Attorney’s Office and CPS to bring this case to a successful conclusion.

Directed Operations Group (DOG)

The directed operations group (DOG) has two officers and one detective assigned to the unit. They were kept extremely busy throughout the year working closely with investigations, patrol, and the drug task force. They assisted the retail officers in the Northtown area with retail theft details. They also deployed specialty surveillance equipment in high crime areas.

The unit completed the following compliance checks in 2023:

 130 alcohol compliance checks

 58 tobacco compliance checks

 10 massage compliance checks

 145 predatory offender registered (POR) checks

 2 disorderly house declarations

They also completed 21 total background investigations for alcohol, tobacco, and massage license requests.

Anoka-Hennepin Narcotics and Violent Crimes Task Force (AHNVCTF)

The Blaine Police Department is in partnership with the Anoka Hennepin Narcotics and Violent Crimes Task Force (AHNVCTF.) The special operations division has two detectives assigned to the task force for a three-year term.

The task force detectives investigate large scale narcotics trafficking and sales in Blaine and the surrounding areas and assist with fugitive apprehension. They work with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to investigate and charge offenders.

The task force has a K9 trained in narcotics detection that is assigned to one of the Blaine detectives.

1,182 TOTAL CASES INVESTIGATED

511 GUN PERMITS PROCESSED

26 EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUNDS COMPLETED

Emergency Management

Captain Mark Boerboom is the City’s emergency management director. He is responsible for coordinating the emergency preparedness for both the police department and the City of Blaine. As part of those duties and responsibilities, the emergency management division seeks to prepare the

Accomplishments from the year include:

 Coordinated a mock tornado event which required the activation of the Emergency Operations Centers (EOC.) Certain city staff members are required to have National Incident Management Systems (NIMS) Certification which plays a key role in mitigating, managing, and responding to an emergency. The mock drill allowed them to practice their skills and look for areas of improvement.

 Updated the Blaine Continuity Of Operations Plan (COOP.) A COOP describes an organization’s essential functions, associated personnel, resources, and processes for protecting and maintaining those functions during an emergency.

 Worked with staff at City Hall and the Mary Ann Young Center to identify areas of improvement for visitor and staff safety.

 Planned and successfully executed the safety plan for the USA Cup Soccer Tournament at the National Sports Center (NSC), as well as the 3M Open PGA tournament at the TPC Twin Cities Golf Club.

Public Information Officer (PIO)

Captain Boerboom is the department’s public information officer and is responsible for organizing data and facts, generating and distributing press releases, and managing inquiries from the press and media outlets.

Mobile Field Force Team (MFF)

The department’s mobile field force team currently has 37 members and two commanders. The team’s purpose is protecting people and property during civil unrest while respecting individuals’ constitutional rights. All training is geared towards this mission.

The mobile field force team can be rapidly mobilized to respond to large demonstrations to protect people and critical infrastructure during periods of heightened threats or disturbances. The use of maneuver tactics aimed at dispersing crowds along with lesslethal munitions may be utilized when necessary.

A larger North Command Mobile Field Force Team (NCMFF), was formed in 2023, merging MFF members from other agencies into one cohesive team. Team members are pictured to the right attending a less-lethal munitions training.

OFFICER TOU VANG WORKING SECURITY AT THE USA CUP SOCCER TOURNAMENT AT THE NSC

Awards

Medal of Valor Chief’s Compassion

Department Commendation

Officer Grant Breems

Officer

Tim Evens

Officer

Tou Vang

Officer Joe Matzke

Officer Jahnke

Officer Schlenker

Officer Moore

Officer Traffie

Detective Estby

Detective Fettig

Detective Johann

DetectiveJohnson

Detective Ross DetectiveSommer Det. Sundgaard Sergeant Villegas Captain Clark

Detective Rolfes

Life Saving

Officer Don Plowman

Award Descriptions

Chief’s Compassion Award

The Chief’s Compassion Award is selected by Chief Podany and awarded to those who have gone particularly above and beyond in showing care and compassion to the citizens they serve.

Medal of Valor

The Medal of Valor is awarded to a member of the Department who distinguishes themselves in the line of duty by a conspicuous act of bravery or heroism, at risk of their own personal safety, in the face of great danger, above and beyond the call of duty.

Departmental Commendation

The Departmental Commendation is awarded to a member of the Department who distinguishes themself for an act of achievement that is beyond the normal performance required of that member; or which has a significant impact to the Department or community; or which reflects great credit upon the Department and the law enforcement profession as a whole.

Life Saving Award

The Life Saving Award is awarded to a member of the Department for performance of duties and special efforts that led to the saving of a life.

Retirements

Gordon Fiske Patrol Officer

Retired 8/31/2023

22 Years with BPD

Staff Roster

Administration

Brian Podany, Police Chief

Cara Rand, Executive Assistant

Captains

Mark Boerboom, Emergency Mgmt

Matt Carlson, Russ Clark, Special Operations

Joe Gerhard, Administrative Services

Support Services

Brooke Jacobson, Coordinator

Jean Andersen

Jen Bedell

AnnMarie Busack*

Andrea Jordan

Kelly Karas

Sergeants

Ted Berg, Patrol

Travis Hale, Patrol

Nate Hatanpa, Patrol

Ben H. Johnson Patrol

Zach Johnson Patrol

Barry Koch, Patrol

Brad Nordby, Patrol

Mike Rygg, Administrative Services

Joe Sadler, Patrol

Wes Villegas, Special Operations

Patrol

Carly Ahlers

Mark Allen

Alex Arnsdorf

Kyle Augustin

Trent Bachman, Traffic

Dale Bernardy

Andrew Blilie*

Grant Breems

Thomas “TJ” Brownell

Frank Caruso

Jacob Cree, Traffic/DWI

Patrick Graves*

Jake Green, DOG

Kurt Greene

Kelly Jahnke, K9

William Jansen*

Jaden Johnson

Jennah Justen*

Samantha Klimisch

Investigations

Orin Christensen

Paul Estby (retail)

Brandon Fettig

Rebecca Florhaug (Crime Analyst)

Karen Hamann

Tom Johann

Ben J. Johnson

Laura Rolfes (provisional)

James Ross (provisional)

Mike Sommer (provisional DOG)

Dan Stefczak (provisional)

Josh Sundgaard

Rachel Knott

Logan Larson

Reggie Larson, K9

Caleb Link

Joe Matzke

Omar Molinos

Evidence

Brooke Jacobson, Coord.

Melissa Christensen

Kayla Skoglund

Officers

Alex Moore, K9

Pete Noll

Nathan Peterson, Retail

Travis Peterson

Don Plowman

Justin Pohlman

Zachary Prokosch

Joe Ramaley

Joe Ramirez

Aaron Rice*

Tommy Satele*

Matt Schlenker

Cory Schmidt

Justin Schweigert

Mitchel Singewald*

Mike Slavik

Whitney Tennison*

Nick Traffie, DOG

Tou Vang

Mike Vollman, Retail

Jackie Wagner

Miles Wakumoto*

Savana West

Valerie Zeman

Dan Zimmerman, Traffic

Community Outreach

Emily Douglas, Coord. Brian Wiens, Officer

Community Service Officers

Reserves

Andrew Benson

Blake Besaw*

Timothy Cyson

Austin Johnson*

Lori Kretzmann*

Nick Long*

Vincent Oleson*

*New in 2023

Photos are from swearingin ceremonies of new officers.

Acknowledgements