Winter 2022-23 Hometown Messenger

PUBLIC SAFETY

Shakopee officer recognized nationally

Don’t let your home go up in smoke Tips to avoid smoking-related fires Careless smoking is the leading cause of fatal fires in Minnesota Fires involving cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and other smoking-related items—including e-cigarettes—represent a small portion of the annual fires that occur, but they result in the greatest number of deaths that happen in residential homes Most of these deaths occur between the hours of midnight and 6 a m , while many people are sleeping To prevent tragedy from striking, keep these basic guidelines in mind: ■ If you smoke, smoke outside ■ Discard cigarettes in a deep, sturdy metal ashtray filled with water or sand ■ Do not discard cigarettes in vegetation like mulch, potted plants, peat moss or leaves ■ Do not smoke while usingmedical oxygen or near medical oxygen ■ Do not smoke while under the influence of drugs or alcohol Of course, every home must have working smoke alarms An alarm must be located on each level of the home, in hallways providing access to bedrooms, and in each bedroom Homes built after Aug 1, 1989 must have hard-wired smoke alarms Those built prior to Aug 1, 1989 will have battery-operated smoke alarms Smoke alarms should be tested monthly and must be replaced every 10 years It is also important to develop and practice a home fire escape plan The plan should include information on exit paths, staying low and crawling under smoke, and having a family meeting spot outside Formorefire safety information, contact theShakopeeFireDepartment

The Shakopee Police Depart ment is proud to announce that Officer Yesenia Soto was named 2022 Officer of the Year by the National Latino Peace Officer’s Association (NLPOA) Prior to her arrival in Shako pee in 2021, Officer Soto’s law enforcement career began as a Detention Deputy/Cor rections Officer for Henne pin County Sherriff’s Office in 2008 In 2014, she was hired on with Metro Transit PoliceDepartment as a patrol officer andbecame incredibly

Officer Yesenia Soto was named the 2022 Officer of the year by the National Latino Peace Officer’s Association

involved in thedepartment, joining theEverydayEquityTeam, Recruit ment, Honor Guard, FieldTrainingTeam, BackgroundsTeam, Peer Sup port Team, Mobile Field Force Unit and Juvenile Investigations Officer Soto spent her youth living in Mexico and later moved to Minnesota in the early 2000s She was a trailblazer as the first Spanish-speaking Latina officer at both of her former departments

With the U S Census Bureau estimating that 8% of Shako pee residents are Hispanic or Latino, Officer Soto’s Spanish skills have served the depart ment well in building rela tionships with the Spanish speaking community

“It makes me happy to know that my Latino community here in Shakopee has a person

“We absolutely recognize the value and connection she’s able to make with her lan guage skills,” said Shakopee Police Chief Jeff Tate “She has proven quickly to be a great asset to the depart ment and the community” Officer Soto knows the importance of representation, especially when it comes to public service “It makes me happy to know that my Latino community here in Shakopee has a person who can reflect all of us and help them if they need it,” she said Officer Soto has been a NLPOA member since 2014 and has suc cessfully managed several events, mentored dozens of students and helped numerous community members became partners with law enforcement She was presented the 2022 Officer of the Year award this fall at the NLPOA conference in California “We are honored to have a nationally-recognized officer serving with us,” Tate said “We hope Officer Soto makes Shakopee her home for years to come” who can reflect all of us and help them if they need it.” Officer Yesenia Soto Shakopee Police Department

12 Hometown Messenger