Take me to my hairdresser
CO Greg Abraham (New Ulm) investigated a call that led to discovery of a car that had gone off the road and rolled into a ravine. The 89-year-old female driver crawled up the ravine to the road, flagged down a passing motorist, and demanded to be taken to her hairdresser for a perm! The motorist complied with her wishes. When checked the woman was not injured, but the car was totaled.
Stupid is as stupid does
CO Chris Vinton (Perham) assisted an outraged neighborhood capture two suspects in the killing of an albino squirrel. The squirrel was a neighborhood novelty and treasure. A witness observed the two parked near a tree when they shot the squirrel. The officer went to the residence of one of the suspects and asked, "I guess you know why I am here?" The suspect responded, "It was a stupid thing to do." A year ago the suspect took a black squirrel and wanted a white one to go with it.
It wasn't a wild animal, but the family dog that did it
CO Mark Fredin (Aurora) received a call from a concerned family that an animal went through a window screen and defecated in the living room. It was later determined that the family dog got out of its sleeping quarters and attempted to get out of the house by clawing out the window screen. Not being able to get out, the dog did its business on the living room floor.
Life jackets and nothing else
After recent discussion about wearing life jackets while tubing, CO Tim Collette (Longville) said it was encouraging to note that one couple on Leech Lake was safety minded. Even though they did not have any other clothing on, the person being pulled on the tube was at least wearing her life jacket.
Either way you're wrong
CO Greg Oldakowski (Wadena) observed a man angling with 2 lines from a boat. When questioned about fishing with extra lines the man stated, "I wasn't fishing with 3 lines." He admitted to 2 lines, and was written a citation.
Definitely not "Minnesota nice"
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) says reports of improper boat ramp etiquette have come in over the summer. One included a man cleaning his fish on the tailgate of his pickup while still on the ramp as others waited. Courtesy should be common sense.
Bird tales
Officer Mike Scott (Marine Unit) received a call from a very upset person who reported that they had a Goldfinch with its head stuck in their feeder. They were concerned the bird would die and wanted assistance in freeing the bird. With the assistance of the caller, the feeder was removed from its location and the Goldfinch was removed without incident. After shaking its head, the Goldfinch flew away no worse for wear. He also received a call from a person who stated that they had witnessed a Peregrine Falcon chasing a hawk in downtown Duluth, and that the hawk had flown into a window and was dazed and standing in the doorway of a local business. The hawk was located, picked up and taken to a raptor rehaber in the area for treatment. The hawk, which was an immature Red Tail Hawk, was doing fine and is expected to make a full recovery.
Hooked twice
While checking anglers, CO Mike Hruza (Bemidji) observed two anglers using too many lines and issued citations. A while later the same boat flagged the officer over. One of the anglers had a hook stuck in his back. The officer was able to dislodge the lure and everyone was fine.
Loud and over the legal limit
Officer Neil Freborg (Lake George) was called by Itasca Park to assist with the removal of a group of campers from one of the remote walk-in sites. Apparently, their language and illegal alcohol consumption the previous evening, had made the adjacent campers unhappy. CO Freborg arrived at the campsite with Park Rangers just in time to see stringers of fish going into a cooler. Not only was the group of four removed from the park, they were cited for an overlimit of walleyes. Their fines and restitution was close to $1,700.
While someone goes to bed hungry . . .
Officer Dan Starr (Tower) would like to remind anglers that wanton waste of game fish is a very poor display of being a sportsman. Two separate fish cleaning shacks were found to have wasted jumbo perch and hand-sized bluegills. The fish were found to be perfectly good, just thrown away.
Ashes to ashes
CO Stacy Sharp (Bemidji) responded to a fire caused by placing hot ashes (from a wood fired sauna) in a plastic bucket. The ashes melted through the bucket and started the wooden deck on fire. The fire spread through the yard and into an adjacent field.
One friendly goose
CO Gary Sommers (Walker) received a call from a resort owner that a Canada goose showed up and was "very friendly." It was so friendly that one could pick it up, and when it came time to clean the cabins at the end of the week, it would follow the golf cart around that the resort staff was using for hauling cleaning supplies. The resort owner was instructed to call if the goose became too much of a problem.
You think crime pays?
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) checked a couple anglers on an area lake that could not produce an angling license and said they didn't need one because they were 16. The only problem was 16-year-old anglers do need an angling license. Furthermore, the anglers lied. They were actually 19- and 20-years-old respectively. Officer Mathy found it ironic that the anglers said, "Crime pays, too."
Bear bait boozers
CO Troy Ter Meer (Silver Bay) investigated a complaint about campers shooting guns late at night in a U.S. Forest Service Campground. It turned out a bear became curious, since their truck was full of bear bait. They thought it would be good idea to scare it off by firing a pistol in the air, even though they all had lots to drink. Charges are pending.
CO was able to continue the pursuit
CO David Schottenbauer (Princeton) was on his way to get some work done on the radio of his patrol vehicle when he ended up assisting with a multi-agency pursuit where the suspect was driving a truck with an off-road lift package on it. The suspect fled into the woods and fields of Sherburne County only to find out the CO was able to do likewise. Long story short, suspect lost his truck and went to jail, CO Schottenbauer went to get that radio work done.