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These patrols would concentrate on three primary concerns within this focus. The first issue is the <br />business owner concerns about skateboarders and exhibition bicyclist in the mall and commercial <br />areas. With the increase in commercial and business areas in Elk River, business owners are <br />concerned with the potential liability and they are also concerned that the skateboarders and <br />exhibition bicyclists scare or bother customers. The City is already working on providing a park <br />or other space for this type of hobby or recreation. The second issue at the malls is that we have <br />experienced a large number of theft from vehicles and damage to vehicles while they are parked in <br />the parking lots of the businesses. Patrols for these issues would be primarily marked patrols with <br />occasional surveillance. <br /> <br />The third issue deals primarily with theft type crimes. The number of motor vehicle thetis in Elk <br />River nearly doubled in 1996 (23 in 1995 and 45 in 1996). Many of these motor vehicle thetis, as <br />well as a large number of theft from motor vehicles, tampering with motor vehicles and theft of <br />vehicle parts, occur at the eight new and used car dealerships located along east Highway 10 in <br />Elk River. Patrols for this issue will be primarily surveillance. <br /> <br />The goal is to create a carefree and safe environment for shoppers and business owners. The goal <br />is also to apprehend a higher number of violators involved in these crimes and deter others from <br />similar violations. <br /> <br />Drug Investigation and Interdiction <br /> <br />The fffih component of the program is Drug Investigation and Interdiction. The number of drug <br />related offenses in Elk River rose in 1994 and has continued to rise since. Our officers are finding <br />an increasing number of drugs during routine vehicle stops and arrests. Although the primary drug <br />of choice in the schools is alcohol, drug related incidents in the schools has also been on the rise. <br />Officers are pleased to be making these types of arrest however they would like to see more done <br />to curb the flow of drugs in our City. There is a Tri-County Task force in which the Sherburne <br />County Sheriff's Department participates. However, the task force is centrally located in St. <br />Cloud and rarely works any cases in the Elk River area. Patrol officers have little confidence in the <br />task force following up on any information or informants passed on to the task force. Many of the <br />arrests that the officers make could easily lead to additional arrests and seizures of both cash and <br />drugs with a little time and effort put in to some follow-up and possibly some buy/busts. Several <br />of the officers on the department have drug interdiction training and a couple of the officers have <br />drug investigation and task force training. Both of these areas of training are under utilized <br />because of lack of funding and other job responsibilities. We also have a very good canine <br />certified in narcotics detection. Most of the overtime funding in this area would go to a 'call in' <br />type program where officers would be called in to 'work' a case or informant as soon as a patrol <br />officer makes an arrest where there is potential for more. Drug interdiction would also be stressed <br />on nights where officers are working DUI saturation patrols as outlined in the first component of <br />this program. The funding would also be used to follow-up or investigate the miscellaneous drug <br />information that has also increased greatly since 1994. <br /> <br />6 <br /> <br /> <br />