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City of Edina 4801 W. 50th St. Edina, MN 55424
Contact: Mia Vacanti, Communications Intern
Phone: 952-833-9522 commintern@EdinaMN.gov www.EdinaMN.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Edina Police Department Receives MADD Award
Edina, Minn., April 12, 2016 – The Edina Police Department recently received the “Outstanding Law
Enforcement Agency” Award from the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) organization at the 2016
MADD Awards Ceremony.
“It is a huge honor to be able to award the Edina Police Department with the agency award this year,” said
MADD Public Policy Committee Chair Gina Calistro at the April 11 event in Brooklyn Center. “They had a
tremendous year in the fight for preventing drunk driving and also for catching folks.”
In 2015, Edina Patrol Officers arrested 327 impaired drivers, which was a 73 percent increase from 2014. Of
those arrests, 29 were of drivers under the influence of a controlled substance and 12 were underage
impaired drivers.
The department started the year with four Drug Recognition Expert officers and added two more as the year
progressed. One officer is a dedicated DWI officer that was hired thanks to a four-year grant from the Office
of Traffic Safety in 2015. That officer alone apprehended 79 impaired drivers from July to December.
In addition to the department award, three Edina police officers were recognized by MADD for being top
DUI enforcers in Minnesota. Those receiving awards were Officers Chad Anderson, Jake Heckert and Phillip
Spanjers.
“I think Edina is paving the way and setting an example in the community for what other agencies should do.
They really stepped up their game this year and we are proud to be here today to honor them,” said Calistro.
“We’d like to encourage other communities to see as raising the bar and be inspired and encouraged to
follow the lead.”
For more information, contact the Police Department at 952-826-1610.
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