Monday, April 1, 2013
The $20,000 device can scan up to 1,800 license plates per minute.
A couple of boxy bundles of metal and glass projecting from the roof of one of Shakopee's new squad SUVs are now scanning the city's streets and reading license plates in a search for vehicles that are stolen or wanted in connection to a crime. The Shakopee Police Department purchased its first Automatic Number Plate Recognition reader for $20,000 a few weeks ago, the Shakopee Valley News is reporting. Police Chief Jeff Tate hopes to buy two more with grant money. Shakopee motorists have already been picked up on warrants from the reader, which the city purchased using forfeiture funds from drug busts and other operations. “It’s one of the few tools out there that really is going to lead to more arrests,” Tate told the Shakopee Valley News…
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
The neighborhood block parties are designed to highlight and strengthen community ties. Post your photos here!
Do you have photos from your neighborhood Night to Unite event? Post them here by clicking on the Upload button! Shakopee Police Chief Jeff Tate was pleased to announce Tuesday night that 90 events were happening across the city for Night to Unite, an annual night out highlighting relationships between neighbors and law enforcement. A dozen or so police officers, members of the Shakopee Police explorers, Shakopee firefighters and other city officials visited many events, complete with fire trucks spraying down kids in the heat. Follow Shakopee Patch on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our daily newsletter "It's so great they coud be here and do this for the kids," said Angie Stern, a Night to Unite event organizer at Tenth …
Friday, August 3, 2012
Shakopee police mounted a search Thursday afternoon for a person who attempted to break into a home with children present, according to Shakopee police.
Follow Shakopee Patch on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our daily newsletter Shakopee police mounted a search Thursday afternoon for a person who attempted to break into a home with children present, according to Shakopee police. Authorities used a Minnesota State Patrol helicopter in the search, as well as officers from the Scott County Sheriff's Office, Prior Lake Police Department and Shakopee police in a search in the area of Muhlenhardt Road and Horizon Drive near County Road 18 in eastern Shakopee. The suspect reportedly tried the doors to the residence, and looked for unlocked doors and windows. The person never gained entry to the home, according to Shakopee Police Chief Jeff Tate. The suspect fled when an officer …
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Mayor Brad Tabke: The area's Meth Task Force has turned its focus to heroin.
With two reports in the past week involving teens and heroin in Shakopee, Mayor Brad Tabke addressed the issue in a Saturday post on his website. "Heroin is a drug that is not only a Shakopee problem but has very quickly come up metro-wide," he wrote. Shakopee Police Chief Jeff Tate attributes the upswing to recent changes made in the manufacturing of prescription drugs that make them difficult to smoke. Consequently, he said, heroin has come on the scene as a cheap alternative. He also said the heroin police are finding is of very high purity and is extremely addictive. Below is a list made by Tabke of what Shakopee is doing to take action: "It sounds simple, but please talk to your kids about drugs and pay attention to what is going on …
Monday, March 19, 2012
With some help from a group of citizens, five people are now in custody awaiting criminal charges, according to Shakopee Police Chief Jeff Tate.
Shakopee police officers and detectives scrambled early Sunday morning to take on a triple whammy of calls, and perhaps surprisingly, none were St. Patrick’s Day related, according to Shakopee Police Chief Jeff Tate. Instead, they had three incidents around 2 a.m. involving: a group leaving a bar that detained a burglary suspect; a beating at a townhome that sent one to the hospital; and a domestic assault in which a police detective was tackled by a suspect. The first call involved a group leaving the Pullman Club who reportedly noticed a man wearing a ski mask inside Wampach’s Restaurant, which was not open at the time. “These observant people leaving the bar detained him outside,” said Tate. The suspect allegedly had burglary tools and …
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Anyone who had property taken from vehicles over the weekend is asked to call police at (952) 445-1411.
An 18-year-old man has been arrested in connection with several thefts from vehicles in Shakopee over the weekend, authorities said Monday. Miscellaneous stolen property has been recovered and Shakopee police are attempting to match the property to owners. They are asking anyone who had property taken from vehicles over the weekend to call them at (952) 445-1411. Police said they believe this man has stolen items from vehicles previously. “This is a very good arrest because thefts from vehicles are often very difficult to solve,” said Shakopee Police Chief Jeff Tate. “Hopefully this leads to closing several cases.” To help prevent vehicle break-ins, Tate encourages people to keep vehicles locked and any valuables out of sight.
Earlier this month, police say a younger woman scared off an intruder who came into her home on Westchester Avenue.
Shakopee police are urging residents to be extra alert after a recent spike of home burglaries around the area. “It’s hard for us to say at this time if they’re linked,” said police investigations Sgt. John Buetow, about the half-dozen burglaries in the past few weeks. Last week, there was a break-in on the 3800 block of Molina Street, near Canterbury Road. The sliding glass door in the back of the home had been broken and items were stolen, Buetow said. The family had been out of town at the time. Earlier this month, police said a younger woman was at home when a man came into her home on Westchester Avenue, near St. Francis Regional Medical Center. The man fled after she ran upstairs and called 911, police said. On Feb. 19, a home near …
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Shakopee Police Chief Jeff Tate said Wednesday that racino funds earmarked for the city should be enough to handle the increased 'activity' that would come with added gambling.
The Shakopee City Council unanimously approved a resolution supporting the establishment of racinos in Minnesota, including at Shakopee’s Canterbury Park, at their regular meeting Tuesday. In January, the council decided to wait until racino legislation had been introduced before considering taking a position. The legislation would allow Canterbury and Running Aces, the two horse racing tracks in the state, to add video and slot machines. They already have 24-hour card rooms featuring poker, blackjack and other card games. Just this week, bills were introduced for racino at the Minnesota Legislature. The bills state that 1 percent of racino proceeds would go to the host city and host county, which could mean an estimated $1.2 million each…
Friday, January 27, 2012
The six-week class will run on Tuesdays from 6-9 p.m. starting April 3.
Ever wonder what a Shakopee Police officer really does? To help answer that question the Shakopee Police Department is offering a course this spring, called the citizen academy, that will take participants through the ins and the outs of police life through interactive tours, presentations and demonstrations. There’s even a Taser exercise where those taking the class can volunteer for the experience, according to Shakopee Police Chief Jeff Tate. The purpose of the citizen academy is to promote and enhance citizen understanding of the role of the Shakopee Police Department through education and participation. “This remains a great opportunity for the public to meet a number of our officers and establish positive working relationships moving…
Friday, December 30, 2011
While a hot topic during the Shakopee elections this fall, the numbers show crime is down in the city.
While crime was a hot topic during the Shakopee elections this fall, the numbers show Shakopee is actually getting safer. “We really do live in a safe community,” said Shakopee Police Chief Jeff Tate. “Maybe we haven’t done a good job putting that message out there.” Data collected by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension seems to bare out the fact that crime in Shakopee is down. Those numbers show the crime rate has steadily declined each year since 2006, from 10.2 percent that year, to 7.8 percent in 2010. The city is on pace in 2011 for another decline, Tate said. With the year drawing to a close, the city has yet to record a homicide. “When you factor in all the area attractions we have, you’ll find our crime rate is more than …
Lisa Baumann
2:12 pm on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Update on this story - Shakopee police said yesterday this case is still open and that their investigation took them to St. Paul although no one was arrested there. Anyone with information can call them at 952-233-9400. more ›