Police Annual Report 2021 - Home - City of Crystal

CRYSTALP O L I C E D E PA R T M E N T

Ser ice with compassion, integ it and professionalism.

2 0 2 0 A N N UA L R E P O R T

Le er from the Chief .............................................. 3Patrol Division ........................................................ 4Inves ga ons Unit, West Metro SWAT .................... 5Records Unit, Evidence Tech./Community Liaison .... 6K9 Units .................................................................. 7Reserve Unit, Explorer Post #3950 .......................... 8Community Service Offi cers, Animal Control ............ 9Joint Community Police Partnership ..................... 10NIBRS, Offi cer Wellness ........................................ 11Department Sta s cs ........................................... 12

Crystal Police Department Annual Report

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

LETTER FROM THE CHIEF

Dear Ms. Norris,

It has been a challenging 2020: A world-wide pandemic, the death of George Floyd, civil unrest and more. Even though it was a diffi cult year for our residents and our police department, I am proud to report our department’s many accomplishments and present them to you and the city council.

Our offi cers responded to more than 26,000 calls for service in 2020, and continued to provide service with compassion, integrity and professionalism. Our community can be proud of every single sworn offi cer and civilian department member for their hard work and dedication to duty.

This year, we welcomed several new police offi cers to our department: Anthony, Roll, Llamas and Beck, along with CSO Hussain. The hiring of new offi cers is always encouraging, bringing a fresh perspective and optimism. We are grateful and pleased every time a new member is sworn in.

The department is also grateful for our newest member: K9 Ace and his handler, Offi cer Callan. The unit is training at the St. Paul K9 Academy and will graduate in May 2021.

It is truly an honor to report the Crystal Police Department’s accomplishments in 2020. On behalf of its offi cers and civilian members, we look forward to continuing to provide the best possible service to our wonderful residents and community.

Sincerely,


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Ms. Anne NorrisCity Manager, City of Crystal4141 Douglas Dr. N.Crystal, MN 55422

Stephanie K. ReveringChief of PoliceCrystal Police Department


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The Patrol Division is the largest segment of the Crystal Police Department. Led by Lieutenant Pete Underthun, the division includes six sergeants and 18 police offi cers.

It has an expansive range of duties based upon providing service and ensuring the safety of a broad range of customers within Crystal. Offi cers respond to 911 calls, medical emergencies, crimes in progress, citizen concerns, requests for assistance, vehicle crashes and a variety of other emergency and non-emergency requests.

When not engaged in service requests, the division completes business visits, vacation home checks and park patrols, all while focusing on increased crime areas and traffi c safety zones.

The Patrol Division uses directed patrol reports to convert citizen concerns into proactive monitoring and enforcement efforts. These reports document enforcement efforts, observations and resolutions of citizen concerns and are available to the public.

In 2020, the Patrol Division responded to 26,568 requests for service and made 711 arrests for misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, felony-level crimes, warrants and court order violations, including 114 custodial arrests for driving while impaired and related crimes.

The division conducted 2,940 vehicle contacts for motorist safety, suspicious circumstances, traffi c violations, criminal violations and more. These stops led to warnings, citations, arrests, seizures of illegal drugs, recovery of stolen property, interruption of crimes and apprehension of criminals.

The division also participates in community activities, and supervises and trains the Crystal Police Reserve and Explorer programs. Through these programs, the division welcomes the adult and youth community into volunteer service. Highlights of its community involvement in 2020 include Shop with a Cop, Coffee with a Cop, Citizen’s Police Academy, Junior Police Academy, Back to School Cookout and Crystal Night to Unite.

PATROL DIVISION


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Lieutenant Derrick Hacker supervises the Crystal Police Department Investigations Unit.

The Investigations Unit includes: • Four criminal investigators. • One narcotics investigator assigned to the Northwest Metro Drug Task Force.

In 2020, the Investigations Unit successfully investigated and obtained criminal charges on multiple homicides and 1st degree assault cases.

In addition to investigating criminal reports of all crime levels, the unit manages vehicle forfeitures for DWI and qualifying felonies; reviews and approves fi rearm permits to purchase; oversees and investigates local predatory offenders and possible felony voting/registration violations; oversees, coordinates and conducts pawn compliance checks at local pawn shops; and conducts forensics on cell phones.

WEST METRO SWAT TEAMINVESTIGATIONS UNIT

INVESTIGATIONS UNIT/WEST METRO SWAT

The Crystal Police Department partners with the cities of New Hope and Robbinsdale to provide critical incident and high-risk warrant service to a population of more than 45,000 citizens.

There are police offi cers from all of the listed jurisdictions assigned to the West Metro SWAT Team. Assigned offi cers are full-time members of their respective police departments and participate as an additional duty.

The Crystal Police Department has seven offi cers and three negotiators currently assigned to the West Metro SWAT Team. The team has about 20 SWAT operators among the three cities, including the commander, two assistant commanders, two snipers and a medic.

Team members are on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week and are selected based on exceptional work performance and competency.

The SWAT Team responds to high-risk situations such as: • High-Risk Warrant Services • Barricaded Suspects • Hostage Situations

In 2020, the team underwent approximately 100 hours of specialized training in emergency response, special weapons and tactics.


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EVIDENCE TECHNICIAN/COMMUNITY LIAISONJennifer Novak is the evidence technician and community liaison. She maintains the property/evidence functions and is responsible for jail administration, crime analysis and running the Crystal Police Department’s social media accounts.

In addition to entering and fi ling evidence, the evidence technician processes evidence requests for the city and county attorney.

In 2020, there were about 3,415 items booked into the property and evidence room. Additionally, 492 items were held for safekeeping and as found property. Novak also processed about 1,220 audio recordings.

The department’s Facebook, Twitter and Nextdoor accounts are primarily supported by Novak and are used to distribute safety tips and urgent safety and event information. In 2020, the department’s Facebook page showed a 28% increase in followers and Nextdoor had a 34% increase in followers.

Crystal Police social media account followers: • Facebook (7,211 followers) • Twitter (4,508 followers) • Nextdoor (7,113 followers)

RECORDS UNITEVIDENCE TECH. &

COMMUNITY LIAISON

The Police Records Unit is staffed by civilian employees, consisting of two full-time and one part-time offi ce assistants who report to the Offi ce Records Manager.

The unit is responsible for specialized support services including the daily processing, storage, retrieval and management of police reports and data. This includes maintaining reports, applying records management processes and adhering to records retention schedules for crime reporting purposes and data requests in compliance with Minnesota Government Data Practices Act.

The Records Unit processed 769 police data requests from June 1, 2020 to the end of the year.

The Record Unit also works with investigators to manage cases and ensure police reports refl ect the correct statuses and dispositions, based on how individuals, property and vehicles are related to an incident report.

In addition, the unit organizes and prepares reports, supplemental reports, statements and other related report documents for submission to the city or county attorney’s offi ce for criminal charges.

RECORDS UNIT


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K9 UNITSSince its creation in 2012, the K9 Unit has completed thousands of training hours and numerous deployments to locate suspects and evidence.

In 2020, K9 Leo and his handler, Offi cer Caleb Selin, completed 215 hours of training. The unit was deployed 29 times to assist with tracking

and locating suspects, searches, narcotics sniffs, assisting with high-risk traffi c stops and evidence recovery. The unit also attended an Iowa search and track training hosted by USPCA’s Region 21 members.

In 2020, an additional K9 unit was deployed: K9 Ace and his handler, Offi cer Michael Callan. They are attending police K9 Patrol and Narcotics training through the St. Paul Police Department until May 2021.

Ace is 18 months old and from Hungary. His name was chosen among 30 Crystal Elementary School student suggestions. Ms. Anderson’s fifth-grade class from FAIR School suggested Ace.

K9 Leo and Offi cer Selin and K9 Ace and Offi cer Callan look forward to attending Night to Unite, the Citizens’ Police Academy and are excited to conduct demonstrations for the community as pandemic restrictions lift in 2021.


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Advisors to Explorer Post #3950 in 2020:

Committee Chair/Advisor: Sgt. Brandon Dorr.

Offi cer advisors: Julie Dorr, Caleb Selin, Andrew Robles and Txheng Vang.

Community Service Offi cer Advisers: Tim Saatzer and Alex Tingle.

RESERVE UNIT &EXPLORER POST #3950

The Explorers are an exploration program for youth ages 14-21. Explorers received hands-on training by offi cers regarding traffi c stops, burglary, fi rst aid, hostage negotiations and use of force. Explorers also experience ride-alongs with police offi cers to experience the skills needed for a policing career.

The explorer program focuses on developing leadership, teamwork and communication skills, as well as professional development. Explorers participate in mock interviews and receive feedback on their resume.

Explorers also volunteer at several Crystal community events throughout the year, such as Crystal Frolics, Night to Unite, 3M PGA Golf Tournament, Forest Elementary Carnival, Crystal PD Junior Police Academy, Anoka Halloween Parade, Shop with a Cop and the delivery of Toys for Tots to KARE11.

The program is invaluable for those pursuing law enforcement or any other career. There are currently two former or current Explorers serving as Community Service Offi cers in the department.

The Crystal Police Reserve Unit is a diverse group of volunteers, some interested in law enforcement careers. The unit assists in city-wide patrols and staff community events and assist with police department offi cer training.

In 2020, membership was down slightly with nine members and events were limited due to the pandemic. The unit still managed 1,123 hours, equivalent to about $38,000 in wage savings to the city.

As the unit transitions to 2021, hiring is a focus. The unit added a newer squad car with a retro look, replicating squad cars from the 1990s.

The Reserve Unit attends monthly meetings and training sessions occur throughout the year. There is also a field training program to acclimate new members.

In 2020, the unit participated in the Citizens’ Police Academy, Birdtown Half Marathon, Night to Unite, Polar Plunge, Birthday Brigade, Senior Citizen Art Handout and city-wide patrols.

Applications for the Crystal Police Reserve Unit, when it has vacancies, are on the City of Crystal website at www.crystalmn.gov.

RESERVE UNIT

EXPLORER POST


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The Community Service Offi cers (CSO) Unit provide essential support to police offi cers for activities including parking and code enforcement, bookings, monitoring people in custody, facilitating vehicle impoundings, handling animal complaints and assisting people locked out of homes and vehicles, as well as routine patrols.

CSOs often participate in many community engagement activities throughout the year, such as Family Fun Night, Movie in the Park and Night to Unite.

The unit has two full-time and four part-time offi cers and two police cadets. Typically, individuals are enrolled in law enforcement training programs or attending college to achieve their degree.

A large majority of Crystal’s CSOs seek experience in law enforcement and go on to become sworn law enforcement offi cers. Many offi cers from Crystal and surrounding agencies were once Crystal CSOs.

COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICERS& ANIMAL CONTROL

COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICERS UNIT

Animal Control Offi cer Thomas Mahan is an asset shared between the cities of New Hope and Crystal.

In 2020, Mahan encountered or responded to 295 animal-related incidents in Crystal. Of the animal-related incidents, 280 were citizen complaints (13% fewer than last year), and there were 15 offi cer-initiated complaints (25% fewer than last year).

Animal Control was also involved in 11 non-animal related calls for service including traffi c control accidents, fi re calls, motorist assists, medical assists, etc.

Of the 280 total citizen complaints, 152 were dogs complaints, 45 were cat complaints, and 83 were for other animals.

Offi cer-initiated incidents included 14 involving dogs and one citation for failure to register a declared dangerous dog. The were no inspections of kennel licenses nor multiple animal permit holders due to COVID-19.

Animal control continued efforts to decrease local Canadian geese populations at Bassett Creek Park in Crystal, obtaining the necessary permits from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Minnesota DNR.

ANIMAL CONTROL


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The Joint Community Police Partnership (JCPP) is a collaborative program among six counties in Hennepin County: Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Richfi eld, Bloomington and Hopkins. Each city tailors the program to meet the specifi c needs of its police department and community.

Stephanie Sanderson is the community liaison with the Crystal Police Department. She serves as a bridge between the Crystal Police Department and community by facilitating community meetings, organizing community events and providing training to police and the community.

The Multicultural Advisory Committee (MAC) is a core component of the JCPP. It is an engaged group of volunteers who advise the Crystal Police Department on how to better serve, communicate with, and understand the many cultures that reside in, work in, or visit the Crystal community.

The MAC meets monthly with representatives of the police department to discuss issues important

to the police department and the community. The group is representative of the diverse racial, ethnic and religious communities that live, work, worship or learn within the city.

In addition, partnerships with the Adult Academic Program in the Crystal Learning Center, FAIR School, Treehouse and Cedarwood Apartments have provided many opportunities for consistent engagement with community members of diverse ages, races, ethnicities, faith affi liations, linguistic backgrounds and national origins.

Recently, MAC members discussed community resources for mental health and learned how Crystal police offi cers respond to mental health calls. Guest speakers from the Hennepin County Mobile Crisis Unit and the National Alliance on Mental Illness shared their organization’s work. MAC members also learned about Hennepin County’s COVID response, the resources available to residents affected by the virus and the city’s civil unrest response.

JOINT COMMUNITY POLICE PARTNERSHIP

Stephanie Sanderson


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The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) developed the Supplemental Reporting System (SRS) of the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) System in 1929.

The UCR System gathers the counts of criminal offenses as established by the UCR rules, including a criminal offense hierarchy rule. This means that only the most serious criminal offenses from eight crime categories are included in crime data statistics.

The UCR System has been a continued resource for crime statistics and crime data recorded by law enforcement agencies.

Due to the crime reporting limitations within the SRS of the UCR System, the FBI introduced the National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS). The NIBRS System is designed to expand crime reporting and improve the quality of crime data collected by law enforcement agencies.

NIBRS benefi ts crime reporting for law enforcement agencies, as it captures details on each crime incident and for separate offenses within the same incident. It also captures additional data on victims, offenders, the relationships between victims and offenders, arrestees, and property involved in crimes.

The FBI implementation of NIBRS is designed to improve the overall quality of crime data collected by law enforcement. NIBRS collects data on 24 crime categories from 52 specifi c crime offenses.

The NIBRS System captures the incident level details about each crime, this includes multiple offenses within the same incident. In addition to information on victims, offenders, the relationships between victims and offenders, arrested persons, and property involved in crimes.

The FBI mandated that all law enforcement agencies transition to NIBRS crime reporting by Jan. 1, 2021. The Crystal Police Department completed their transition on Sept. 1, 2020.

NIBRS & OFFICER WELLNESS

In 2020, the Crystal Police Department continued its Offi cer Wellness Program, which seeks to improve the health, physical ability and overall wellness of each employee. The goal is to improve performance while reducing health risks, job-related injuries and absenteeism.

The department has fully implemented its “Check-up from the Neck Up” program requiring all employees to meet with a mental health professional at least once per year. Additional visits are available if needed.

The department also continues to focus on physical strength, fl exibility and nutrition to maintain job performance. The department’s workout room, with equipment donated by Planet Fitness and Precor, is available to both on- and off-duty employees.

In 2021, the department will consider additional wellness programs for added health and wellness education and guidance, and will seek employee incentives for improved wellness.

Sgt. Brandon Dorr and Geoff Kusick contributed to the wellness program in 2020.

NIBRS

OFFICER WELLNESS

Above, data and graphic from the NIBRS website.


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DEPARTMENT STATISTICSPART I CRIMES 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020Homicide 0 3 1 1 5Rape 2 13 8 14 17Robbery 8 17 11 19 20Aggravated Assault 20 21 20 26 37Burglary 69 62 35 52 52Larceny/The 388 399 429 505 543Vehicle The 31 29 47 45 67Arson 0 3 1 1 4TOTAL 518 547 552 663 745

PART II CRIMES 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020Assault 154 186 128 130 135Forgery/Counterfei ng 6 45 21 23 80Fraud 112 111 145 140 139Embezzlement 0 0 0 0 11Possess Stolen Property 14 10 19 17 24Vandalism 102 88 70 77 122Weapons 15 18 8 18 39Pros tu on 0 0 0 0 0Criminal Sexual Conduct 16 15 10 16 25Controlled Substances 125 109 87 52 110Family Off ense 3 4 3 13 27DWI 197 160 134 118 211Liquor Viola ons 20 8 8 5 7Disorderly Conduct 51 43 25 18 67Vagrancy 0 0 0 0 0Other Off enses 111 118 129 125 177TOTAL 926 915 787 752 1,174

Total Part I and Part II Crimes

in 2020: 1,919

SERVICE CALLS

VEHICLE CONTACTS/CITATIONS

Police Annual Report 2021 - Home - City of Crystal

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