When your college student leaves for the semester, there may be a lot of thoughts swirling in your head: Will they go to class, pass their exams, stay safe? As parents, it's natural to worry when your kid goes off to college. But a conversation now can help put at least one of those worries to bed. 

In the last five years, there have been 165 reported fires in campus housing, according to our State Fire Marshal (SFM) division. That's why we're asking parents across Minnesota to talk to their college-aged kids about a few simple precautions and an action plan that will help them prevent fires and survive a fire if one starts. 

• Smoke alarms save lives: If your child is renting an apartment or house, make sure they have a smoke alarm for every bedroom and every level of the house.  
• Fire safety: Know your escape routes and keep hallways, stairs and exits clear so you can get out quickly if there’s a fire.  
• Watch the kitchen: The number one cause of on-campus fires is cooking, according to SFM. Talk with your child to ensure they never leave the stove unattended and never cook while tired or under the influence.  

Think back to the last time you were in a car. Did you buckle up before you left? If you're like most Minnesotans, the answer is yes. The percentage of people buckling up reached a 10-year high of 94.7 percent this year. 

Overall, more people are buckling up on Minnesota roads, according to an annual seat belt survey funded by our Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) division. When looking at available survey data dating back to 2010, the 2024 rate of 94.7 percent is the highest rate recorded since 2013 (94.8 percent) and the fourth year in a row we've seen the number go up. 

• Positive developments: Numbers are going up in populations that have been an ongoing concern, including young adults who are 16 to 29 years old and pickup drivers. The percentage of young adults choosing to wear a seat belt rose to a ten-year high of 93.6 percent. Pickup drivers hit an all-time high of 91.9 percent. 
• Saving lives: In the 37 years since seat belts became mandatory, the number of people injured in traffic crashes has dropped significantly.    
• Timely reminder: While we might be great drivers, we can't predict everything that the roads throw at us. Seat belts keep drivers and passengers inside the vehicle during a crash. It’s especially important for our littlest passengers. 

The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) is recruiting community members to evaluate grant applications for the 2024 Restorative Practices Initiatives Grant Program application review process and other requests for proposals (RFPs) coming from OJP.

OJP is interested in reviewers who reflect the ethnic, racial, economic, cultural, and geographic diversity of Minnesota. For each RFP, OJP recruits individuals with knowledge, expertise or lived experience specific to that RFP’s subject matter. OJP is often looking for individuals such as community members with justice system experience, survivors of crime, crime victim service providers, youth service providers, county attorney staff, social service workers, evaluators and educators. Serving in this capacity offers unique insights into the grant-making process.

Reviewers who fully participate in the process are eligible for a $100 honorarium. For more information on what is required, tasks, time commitment, and for specific information on the Restorative Practices Initiative RFP review, visit the OJP grants webpage.

More than 68,000 people were stopped for speeding over four months through our Office of Traffic Safety extra enforcement campaign. 

Law enforcement from 259 agencies across Minnesota cited 68,723 speeding tickets issued to drivers from May 1 through Sept. 2. Our law enforcement partners also cited eight drivers for going 120 mph or more. 

The campaign reminds Minnesotans of the benefits of going the speed limit and asks them to make smart choices behind the wheel. 

It’s time for our Forensic Science Week myth busting! 

Fact or fiction: Forensic tools are only used to prove someone was at a crime scene or involved in a crime.  

Fiction! Forensic tools can also exclude people as suspects to help ensure innocent people aren’t convicted of crimes they didn’t commit. 

Follow our Bureau of Criminal Apprehension's Facebook page to learn more about how forensic science helps us hold the right person accountable for a crime.