Blog Archive: December 2022

The pain of a St. Paul drunk driving crash still felt 25 years later

Dec. 29

Kevin Brockway was supposed to spend New Year's Day 1998 at his new job, handing out pies at Bakers Square. He never got there. Kevin, who was 16 at the time, went to a party at a friend's house Dec. 31, 1997. His friend Roy Adams remembers setting up, but everything else is blank...

​Add fire prevention to your holiday traditions

Dec. 22

The fire is so delightful" is how the song goes, but that's only when the fire is safely in the fireplace. A house fire can quickly turn your holiday celebration into a tragedy. Add fire prevention to your Christmas traditions to drastically lessen the likelihood of a fire truck showing up at your door along with the Christmas carolers. The three leading causes...

​​ ​​​​​Stay​ing safe during the ‘life-threatening’ winter weather

Dec. 21

When the National Weather Service starts using words like “life-threatening," our Homeland Security and Emergency Management division sits up and pays attention. This ongoing winter storm will make travel a doozy, especially with the holidays coming up this weekend.​​..

​​​​​​​ Understanding the first-ever No-Knock Warrant Annual Report: What is a no-knock warrant?​​​

Dec. 19

The first-ever No-Knock Warrant Annual Report was released Monday in a move to increase transparency into no-knock warrants and how law enforcement agencies across Minnesota use them. Minnesota statute requires local agencies to provide information about no-knock warrant...

​​​​Don't let the REAL ID deadline extension turn into an excuse for procrastination

Dec. 15

For many Minnesotans, filling out paperwork may have taken a backseat to keeping your family safe and healthy over the past two years. If you've been meaning to get your REAL ID, but haven't gotten around to it yet, we've got some good news for you. You've now got until May 7, 2025, to get a REAL ID-complaint license. When the deadline hits, Minnesotans...

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ A new lease on life: How old equipment becomes new again at Minnesota law enforcement agencies

Dec. 12

Many of us are familiar with the phrase, “Reduce, reuse, recycle," as it relates to eliminating waste and saving money in our everyday lives. But it may surprise you to know that Minnesota law enforcement agencies are doing the same thing with meaningful pieces of equipment. The Law​..​.​

​​​​​​​​ Don't let the fun of online shopping turn into a nightmare

Dec. 8

There's nothing quite like the thrill of getting a great deal, especially when you've got lots of holiday shopping to do. But that thrill can turn into a nightmare when you become the victim of an online shopping scam. With Christmas around the corner, hundreds of thousands of people are.

​​​​​​​​ Don't neglect fire and CO safety this winter: Keep vents, gas meters and fire hydrants clear

Dec. 5

The snowy season has truly arrived here in Minnesota. While we mostly think of winter storm hazards as slick, snow-covered roads and walkways, there are also some fire and carbon monoxide safety issues that become a problem when the snow buries our yards and we hunker down inside...

​​​​​​​​ Retiring emergency management director reminds Minnesotans 'to help each other when bad things happen'

Dec. 1

If Joe Kelly could leave you with one piece of advice, it would be: “Make a kit and have a plan." Kelly, who has served as our Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) director since January 2015, is retiring this month after more than 30 years of public service in the U.S. Army...​

More: All November Blogs​​