Shakopee Police Department 2023 Annual Report

DWI OFFICER

By Sergeant Nick Bengtson

As we reflect on the past year, we are proud to present the annual report for the 2023 DWI traffic safety officer position Our commitment to ensuring safe roadways remains unwavering, and this report highlights the efforts and achievements accomplished by our dedicated traffic safety officer In 2022, the Shakopee Police Department was awarded a grant through the State of Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety to fund a full time DWI/traffic safety officer position Officer Adam Predovich performed the duties of this position through 2023 The 2023 grant award totaled approximately $125,064 as reimbursable funds toward this position’s hours worked and benefits This was an exciting opportunity for the City of Shakopee and its residents by allowing the financial cost of this position to continue to be reimbursed through the State of Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety and not its taxpayers Officer Predovich began his career with the Shakopee Police Department in February 2014 Prior to becoming a police officer, Officer Predovich worked in the private sector Some additional duties Officer Predovich has performed during his tenure include patrol officer, Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) grant coordinator, emergency vehicle operations instructor, and alcohol and tobacco compliance check officer Officer Predovich also continues to conduct Driver’s Education training with youth through the school system, in addition to teaching the Point of Impact subject Officer Predovich also continued to speak at the Shakopee Police Department Citizens Academy, focusing on traffic education and enforcement topics During 2023, Officer Predovich also became a field training officer and obtained a certification as a standardized field sobriety instructor He is qualified to instruct new officers during their field training and is certified in instructing fellow officers in the standardized performance of field sobriety testing In addition to performing the duties listed above, Officer Predovich manages the TZD grant for all participating agencies within Scott County This includes scheduling enforcement shifts and reimbursements from the state grant funds to the individual agencies Officer Predovich attended the Toward Zero Death conference held in November of 2023, which covered a litany of training topics and current trends While working the DWI traffic safety officer position, Officer Predovich utilized an unmarked patrol squad car, which has been shown to be effective in interdicting criminal and aggressive driving behaviors Some of his hours coincide with Toward Zero Death enforcement efforts The changing and flexibility in hours allows Officer Predovich to focus his educational and enforcement efforts during statistically high impaired driving times During 2023, he achieved some of the following statistics helping make your roads safer: ■ 1,614 traffic stops resulting in approximately two stops per hour during open log hours ■ 102 arrests, 82 of which were for DWI

■ 126 reports written ■ 300 citations issued, 89 of which were for excessive speed ■ Over 1,200 traffic violation warnings issued ■ 110 individuals were cited for driving on a revoked, suspended, or cancelled license legalization of marijuana (cannabis), have created increased educational opportunities for individuals who choose to use Many do not know that although it is legal to possess cannabis, it may not be possessed in the passenger compartment of a vehicle, outside of its original sealed dispensary container Many specific laws were enacted surrounding cannabis Minnesota State Statutes online or the Office of Traffic Safety website are great resources for specifics surrounding the current cannabis law changes The Shakopee Police Department wants to remind the community that you could be arrested for DUI while driving under the influence of cannabis In 2022, the Shakopee Police Department arrested or charged 144 suspects with Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) In 2023, the Shakopee Police Department arrested or charged 257 suspects with DWI, resulting in a 78 47% increase in the amount of Driving While Intoxicated arrests from 2022 Officer Predovich’s unwavering dedication to keeping our roads safe and performing focused DWI enforcement most certainly contributed to the increase in the number of impaired drivers removed from our roadways This position is overseen by a patrol sergeant, who ensures compliance with applicable laws, rules, regulations, standards, and policies and procedures This grant position is further overseen by a grant coordinator with the Office of Traffic Safety Although overarchingly successful, 2023 did not come without challenges Many law changes, including the

Officer Predovich works with local youth through Driver’s Education training

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