HomeMy WebLinkAboutApril 20 - Officer of the Year 2016
City of Edina 4801 W. 50th St. Edina, MN 55424
Contact: Krystal Caron, Communications Coordinator
Phone 952-826-0347 kcaron@EdinaMN.gov EdinaMN.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Edina Detective Receives the Officer of the Year Award
Edina, Minn., April 20, 2017 – Edina Detective Erik Amundson has been named the 2016 Mike Siitari Officer of
the Year.
Amundson has served on the Edina Police Department for 34 years and has been a leader within the department,
showing dedication and commitment throughout his career. Amundson was one of the initial officers to serve on
the Edina S.W.A.T. Team when it was created in the late 1980s, was selected to develop the Commercial Crime
Unit in the early 1990s and was the first officer assigned to the Minnesota Financial Crimes Taskforce.
“Detective Amundson has dedicated his career to serving our community. In 2004, he was promoted to
Detective. Over the years, he has been involved in every high-profile case that has occurred in the city,” said
Edina Police Chief Nelson when he presented the award at the April 18 City Council meeting. “His ability to work
through complex cases and mentor fellow detectives has been impressive.”
In 2014, an emergency call for a home invasion and attack was placed to the City. Amundson responded to the
scene and led the investigation. This case stands out to Nelson for the leadership Amundson showed.
“For the next 11 months, Amundson took ownership of this case. Several search warrants and subpoenas were
served along with hundreds of hours of interviews. Physical evidence was recovered from multiple locations and
forensic evidence was collected from several electronic devices. Amundson spent countless hours putting the
pieces together to present a solid case for criminal prosecution,” said Nelson. “Throughout the investigation,
Amundson never forgot about the victim and her genuine fear for herself and her young daughter’s well-being,
health and safety. Ultimately, the case was successfully prosecuted and the defendant is now in prison.”
“When I started, I remember a very old and run down building and not a lot of cutting-edge equipment, but we
had good people who taught me that here we do more, we do it better and we never quit. Now, standing in a
new building with up-to-date technology and equipment, I can still see that our success is based on our people,
their attitudes and their drives,” said Amundson when he accepted his award. “I am honored and truly humbled to
have been singled out for this award. I have to say that I don’t think anything I’ve done here has been a solo act.
We train as a team, we work as a team and I would consider this to be a team win.”
The Mike Siitari Officer of the Year award is given to one Edina Police Officer each year. Nominations from the
public and City employees are accepted and winners are selected by the Edina Crime Fund. The Edina Crime Fund
has been a community partner for over 40 years, helping fund Police Department services and recognize
exceptional officers. Past recipients of the award include Officers Joel Moore, Dave Lindman, Jake Heckert, Mike
Seeger and Detective Mike Lutz.
For more information, contact the Edina Police Department at 952-826-1610.
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