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2020 Annual Report • Police Department • St. Anthony Village, Minnesota <br /> <br /> <br />30 | Page <br /> <br />The philosophy within the police department is that all St. Anthony Police Officers are <br />community engagement officers and that each and every interaction with the public is a <br />community engagement opportunity. This means that every officer has the responsibility to <br />identify the needs of community members at the individual level, offer programs and services <br />as appropriate, and work toward building trust and legitimacy within the community. <br />Our entire patrol division participates in two programs through traffic and pedestrian safety <br />efforts. The Driver Diversion Program (DDP) offers drivers who have a revoked or canceled <br />driver’s license the opportunity to participate in a program designed to allow them to get their <br />license reinstated. Our officers recognize that driving is a necessary privilege that can cause a <br />hardship if it is revoked or suspended. Officers issue DDP information to drivers with an <br />invalid license on a traffic stop and explain how they may be eligible to participate to get their <br />license back and then drive legally. The goal is to educate drivers and get them back to a legal <br />driving status so they can avoid further fines, legal issues, or encounters with law enforcement. <br />We also partner with the “Lights ON!” program. This program allows officers to hand out <br />vouchers for free light bulb replacement to <br />those driving a vehicle with burned out or <br />defective lighting, such as a headlight or tail <br />light. The program is entirely grant funded <br />and supported by private donations. There is <br />no cost to the City of St. Anthony or to drivers who receive the vouchers. Voucher recipients <br />may redeem the voucher at a participating service station of their choice. The police <br />department is proud to offer this benefit to anyone driving through the communities of St. <br />Anthony and Lauderdale. Persons may even stop in to the St. Anthony Police Department to <br />request a voucher from administrative staff during normal business hours. <br />Our office maintains a prescription medication collection receptacle available to the public. <br />Citizens are allowed to dispose of unwanted, unused, or expired household medicines for free <br />in a secure medicine disposal drop box. This program is in addition to our offering the free <br />Deterra medication disposal bags which render prescription medication inert and safe for <br />household disposal. Residents of St. Anthony, Lauderdale and surrounding cities may utilize <br />this prescription medication disposal site during normal business hours, free of charge. The <br />program began in August of 2019, when the St. Anthony Police Department, working <br />collaboratively with the Hennepin County Energy and Environment Department and the <br />Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), added a prescription medication disposal site in