CHPD "In the News"

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In The News

2019
Columbia Heights Expands Effort to Spruce Up Storefronts
The Star Tribune covers the second year of the City’s Façade Improvement Grant program for businesses along Central Avenue. Participants receive money toward eligible project costs of improving the appearance of their business, while also improving security with surveillance systems and cameras under the grant.  According to Captain Matt Markham, “If people know the cameras are there, that helps prevent crime.  And if something does happen, it definitely helps us solve it.”  

Columbia Heights Welcomes New Officer
The Sun Focus covers the swearing-in of new Police Officer Mitchell Weisser.

Minneapolis Man Known as the St. Paul Slapper Caught by Columbia Heights Police
The StarTribune covers a story about the St. Paul Slapper's arrest in Columbia Heights.

Columbia Heights Police Arrest Vandal
The Sun Focus covers a story about the arrest of a man who was caught on City security cameras vandalizing property along Central Ave. 

CHPD Featured in IACP Police Chief Magazine for Winning Leadership in Community Policing Award
Representatives from the Columbia Heights Police Department accepted the Leadership in Community Policing Award from the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) at its annual conference in Orlando last fall. The CHPD won in the "under 20,000" population category for its work in community policing strategies, and more specifically for its work involving the building of the City of Peace Neighborhood Center at Bruce Nawrocki Park

2018
Truck or Treat Enjoyed by Hundreds in Columbia Heights
The Sun Focus covers Truck or Treat: Between 800 and 1,000 residents attended the City of Columbia Heights’ inaugural “Truck or Treat” event at Huset Park last week. Costumed children and their parents explored a variety of vehicles, including police cars, fire trucks, tow trucks, a dump truck, a garbage truck, a mail truck, a school bus, and even a Life Link air ambulance helicopter.

Home Health Nurse Charged With Theft of Prescription Medication
The Sun Focus covers a story about a sting operation in Columbia Heights that led to the arrest of a former home health care nurse.

Columbia Heights Police Department Earns International Community Policing Award
The Sun Focus shines a spotlight on the CHPD's IACP Award: Trust and relationship-building go a long way, especially when it comes to community policing. Without those two factors, the Columbia Heights Police Department couldn’t have accomplished as much as it has over the past few years, nor would the department have been recognized locally and even internationally as a progressive, community-minded agency.
 
City of Peace Neighborhood Center Officially Opened
The Sun Focus covers the grand opening of the City of Peace Neighborhood Center, a building in the Circle Terrace neighborhood for meetings and educational events that will help connect the City and the Police Department with the larger community.
 
Crash Simulation as Real as it Gets
The Sun Focus covers a Columbia Heights High School car crash simulation, an educational dramatization put on once every two years by the City's Police and Fire departments, the school district, local ambulance and funeral home services, and several student actors in some very real make-up.
 
Terry Nightingale: Designer, Builder of Columbia Heights Community Policing Efforts Retiring
The Sun Focus interviews Officer Terry Nightingale about his 33-year law enforcement career.
 
Officers Mentor Athletes
CHPD officers partner with the Columbia Heights High School Athletic Department and Big Brothers Big Sisters. The program gives officers and students to build positive relationships. Officers help with classwork and mentor students. This article appeared in the CHHS Newsletter, the Heights Herald.

2017
For the Package Thief who has Everything: Doo-doo-in-a-box

The Star Tribune interviews local law enforcement about package thefts. Our own Sergeant Markham is featured on the second page. He talks about how the department, with the help of a homeowner's camera and social media, caught some package thieves.
 
Columbia Heights Chief Connects with the Community
Chief Austin talks about the department's partnerships and community policing efforts. 

Newly-appointed Chief Austin discusses future of Columbia Heights PD
Austin began serving as interim chief in July and has worked in the department for more than 20 years. Austin said he wants to continue the department's growing legacy of community policing.

Columbia Heights Police Department to help service Super Bowl
The Columbia Heights Police Department will supply Minneapolis with two officers from Jan. 26 to Feb. 5 for the Super Bowl and related events.

Columbia Heights Bids Farewell to Chief Scott Nadeau
The community bid farewell to former Columbia Heights Police Chief Scott Nadeau during a reception held at the Public Safety Building on July 27.

Lenny Austin Appointed to Columbia Heights Interim Police Chief

Capt. Lenny Austin began serving as Columbia Heights interim police chief on July 27.
Austin has been with the department for over 20 years and has served as Captain for the past nine years.

Bigs in Blue - Cops as a Force for Good
Chief Scott Nadeau and Sergeant Justin Pletcher write an article for Minnesota Police Chief magazine. They talk about how the Big Brothers Big Sisters program has changed the department's interactions with youth in the city. 

A Community Transformed by Mentoring
Chief Scott Nadeau was the Minnesota Big Brother of the Year. Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities congratulates the Chief in the BIG News. 


Kids, Community, and Cops Come Together
This online article from American Snippets talks about different Police Departments and their efforts to do community outreach. The articles discusses the CHPD and two other departments.

CHPD Provides Bike Donations to Local Students
A dozen lucky Columbia Heights students were all smiles when they realized they had a bicycle for the upcoming summer months.
The Columbia Heights Police Department, in partnership with Wells Fargo and Fridley-Columbia Heights Rotary Club, donated 12 bikes to students in need.

Columbia Heights Police Department hosts ‘Eat and Greet’ community picnic
The Columbia Heights Police Department held their first ‘Eat and Greet’ community picnic of the year on May 11 at McKenna Park in Columbia Heights. The Sun Focus has an article featuring the picnic.

CHPD and MAC Host Immigration Forum
Check out this Sun Focus article on the recent Immigration Forum hosted by the CHPD and its MAC (Multi-Cultural Advisory Committee). Our thanks to the Sun Focus for covering this important community conversation.  For more information and to see the notes from the Immigration Forum, check out the information on the Police Department pages of the city website.


Tenth Judicial District Hosts 'Equal Justice' Community Meeting
This SunFocus article covers the 10th Judicial District’s Community Dialogue and Listening Session that was held on January 31.  Members from the CHPD, as well as its Multi-Cultural Advisory Committee, attended this session which was held to gather feedback and suggestions for improvement about the criminal justice and court systems in this district.

Columbia Heights Shop with a Cop Helps Families in Need
The annual Columbia Heights Police Department Shop with a Cop program set a record in both
donations and number of families helped this year. A total of 17 families got the chance to buy
gifts. This year’s donations totaled more than $7,000.