SCOTT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE FIVE POINTS OF THE STAR Kevin Studnicka - Sheriff VOLUME 5, ISSUE 4 OCTOBER, 2010 FROM THE SHERIFF By Sheriff Kevin Studnicka INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Whether it’s neighbors to pass a farm vehicles complaints about late-night when it is turning left. PATROL 2 and early-morning use of Don’t assume the farm machinery, hard feelings vehicle that pulls to the SUPPORT STAFF 3 over the smell of manure or right side of the road is simply frustrations about going to turn right or is RESERVE UNIT 4 sharing the road with slow- allowing you to pass. CHAPLAIN SERVICES 4 moving vehicles, the migra- Due to the size of some tion from the city to the farm implements, the there is traffic behind JAIL 5 country creates conflict farmer must execute them. However, most between some of Scott wide left-hand turns. If farm equipment is loud CRIME PREVENTION 6 County’s oldest and newest you are unsure, check and is not designed to CIVIL PROCESS AND 6 residents. for hand signals (if you be driven on a road- WARRANTS Each year in the United can see the operator) way. The operator and check the left side must spend most of the States, about 30,000 motor RECREATIONAL SAFETY 7 vehicle crashes occur in- of the road for gates, time watching for on- driveways or any other coming traffic and try- FROM THE CHIEF 7 volving tractors and other DEPUTY farm machinery. As farmers place a farm vehicle ing to keep the equip- might turn. ment safely on the head back out to the fields 8 road. HOMELAND S ECURITY during harvest time this fall, Yield to wide vehicles. CAPTAIN’S CORNER 9 you’re likely to drive up Don’t suppose the Due to the large differ- behind a slow moving vehi- farmer can move aside ence in speed, it’s com- 9-1-1 Dispatch 11 cle. Just as motorists are to allow you to pass. mon for motor vehicles Little Known Laws 11 entitled to operate their Shoulders may not be to rear end a piece of vehicles on public road- able to support the farm equipment. Pa- ways, farmers are legally weight of a heavy farm tience is one of the best allowed to operate farm vehicle if wet or soft. ways to avoid a colli- equipment on these same If the shoulder or ditch sion. Even if you have roadways. Following are is steep, the farm vehi- to slow down to 20 some safety tips to help you cle may not be able to mph and follow a trac- share the road: pull over without tip- tor for two miles, it Recognize the slow ping. takes only 6 minutes of your time; equivalent moving vehicle emblem Don’t assume the and slow down imme- to waiting for two stop- farmer knows you’re diately. lights in town. there. Most operators Most crashes occur of farm equipment will Pass only when it is regularly check to see if when the motorist tries (Continued on page 14) PAGE 2 FIVE POINTS OF THE STAR PATROL By Deputy Mike Turek “Safe and Sober” & The Safe and Sober speed deaths and serious injuries. “Operation NightCAP” enforcement is designed to During 2006–2008, these Enforcement put the brakes on speeders counties accounted for more and prevent traffic deaths. than half of the state’s alcohol You may have heard radio The Safe & Sober “7 Days of -related deaths (267) and seri- broadcasts, seen billboards, Speed Enforcement” runs ous injuries (605). Scott and watched television com- throughout July. Not only County is currently 11th on mercials heavily emphasizing are the 7 days in July for the list of 13 Deadliest Coun- “Click it or Ticket,” “Drunk speed enforcement, but the ties with 12 alcohol related Driving” or “Over the limit, whole month. Each agency deaths, 23 alcohol related under arrest.” These adver- encourages their officers or serious injuries, and 3,285 tisements are for Safe and deputies to enforce speed DWI’s during 2006-2008. Sober and Operation Night- during this time period. The CAP enforcement programs. summer driving season is the Operation NightCAP efforts Safe and Sober and Operation deadliest time on Minnesota combine resources from the NightCAP are State and Fed- roads. A major factor for the Minnesota State Patrol, eral Government grants to spike in summertime deaths is county sheriff’s offices and enforce seatbelt use, DWI’s unsafe and illegal speeding. city police departments to (Driving While Impaired), conduct enhanced DWI pa- Speed, and a few other pro- Safe and Sober DWI Mobili- trols to saturate specific road- grams. Although one of the zation will feature enhanced ways where impaired driving goals for these programs is to DWI patrols. These shifts are is likely. educate, the ultimate goal is from the end of August to drive Minnesota toward through the Labor Day holi- Every motorist has a role in zero traffic deaths. day and from the end of No- helping to reduce traffic vember through December. crashes, deaths and injuries. The Safe and Sober seatbelt The DWI Mobilization from So buckle up, drive at safe enforcement has two waves, LAST YEAR, 141 the listed periods focus speeds, pay attention and one conducted from the end PEOPLE WERE mainly on weekends. This always have a plan for a safe of May through early June KILLED IN ALCO- enforcement effort is another and sober ride to avoid driv- and the second wave occur- critical element to save lives ing impaired. HOL-RELATED ring in October. During the on Minnesota roads. Last CRASHES AND seatbelt enforcement, ap- year, Minnesota recorded a 32,756 MOTORISTS proximately 30 percent of the record-low number of alcohol WERE ARRESTED enforcement must occur at -related deaths. However, FOR DWI nighttime. The latest seatbelt last year, 141 people were enforcement program re- killed in alcohol-related sulted in a total of 22,786 crashes and 32,756 motorists daytime citations and 5268 were arrested for DWI. nighttime citations from 333 law enforcement agencies. Similar to Safe and Sober Properly wearing a seat belt DWI Mobilization, the Op- reduces the risk of fatal injury eration NightCAP targets to front seat occupants in the DWI’s, but focuses only on passenger seat by 45 percent the state’s “13 Deadliest in a car and 60 percent in a Counties” for impaired driv- light truck. Seat belts are the ing. The 13 deadliest coun- most effective means of pro- ties are selected by the com- tecting oneself from injury bination of alcohol-related while riding in a vehicle. VOLUME 5, ISSUE 4 PAGE 3 SUPPORT STAFF By Support Staff Supervisor Ron Holbeck PAGE 4 FIVE POINTS OF THE STAR PATROL VOLUNTEERS By Reserve Paul Dykema Reserve Groups Merge gens, First Aid, and Taser Certi- ment and that benefits the fication. Instead of needing to county. New in 2010 - the Patrol Re- teach the classes twice, we will serve Group and Mounted Our two groups have always only need to do it once. Reserve Group joined forces. worked together at events The new combined group Another savings for the groups and emergency call outs. We includes over 40 uniformed will come in combining our provide the same service; we volunteers. These volunteers meeting nights. Each group just do it a little differently. provide many impor- meets once a month at the Law As Sergeant Emerson has said tant services to the Enforcement Center. In our many times, “We wear the Sheriff’s Office includ- meetings we talk about upcom- same uniform, we just have ing special patrol, ing events, training, uniforms, different tools”. transports, event secu- equipment, and membership. We are looking forward to rity, fingerprinting and These meetings are attended by searches. By sharing our licensed liaison deputy Ken learning from each other this resources this year, we hope Dvorak and Sergeant Marshall year and getting better at the to increase our impact in Emerson. By combining our services we provide. We are Scott County. meeting nights, these guys can also looking for civic minded spend more time on the road. One of the ways we will people that are willing to benefit from this merger is in Our members earn money for invest their time and talents annual training. There are the group by working events in joining our group. many required training classes and providing fingerprinting that must be taught every year services to county residents. or two including Use of The money allows the group to Force, Blood Borne Patho- purchase uniforms and equip- CHAPLAIN SERVICES By Chaplin Bob Raleigh The Golden Calf what are you doing with it? Do I have my priorities straight Are you using your material now or do I have to reform There is a reading from Exo- wealth to help the less fortu- myself before it’s too late? dus 32 about how the people nate in your life? of that time rebelled against You may escape getting caught God and had Aaron, the son One only has to look in today’s here on Earth, but you will be of Moses, build a golden calf newspapers and see how the made accountable at the end of for them to worship. greed of money has corrupted time. some people and also some of It seems to me that some of So may the Holy Spirit guide our elected officials of govern- today’s people are following us in our daily struggles and ment - from our local cities up in that same path. give us the wisdom to make to those in Washington, D.C.