The Minnesota Chiefs of Police Foundation is proud to share the highlights of our annual Spring Luncheon fundraiser, held at the Town & Country Club in St. Paul on May 8.
Emceed by Julie Nelson of KARE 11, the afternoon kicked off with anticipation and a clear sense of purpose. Attendees were treated to a captivating keynote address by Bob Jacobson, Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, whose forward-looking insights into the future of policing set an engaging tone for the event. The efforts of MCPF showed in the inspiring stories shared by Sergeant Gregg Nordby and Chief Bill Steiner from Coon Rapids P.D. and Chief Pilar Stier from Le Sueur. Coon Rapids P.D. illuminated the transformative impact of the Foundation's community grant on their Cops and Cardinals initiative, showcasing the impact of collaborative, community-driven policing endeavors. Chief Stier's testimony exhibited the influence of receiving a scholarship to attend the 2024 Executive Training Institute, emphasizing the significance of continuous professional development for law enforcement leaders. These stories highlight the difference our collective efforts make in the lives of law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve. With many police departments facing budgetary constraints, the funds raised by the Foundation play a vital role in supporting community and department programs and initiatives, ensuring that agencies have the resources they need to succeed. We are grateful for the 250+ attendees and the generous sponsors whose unwavering support fuels our mission to strengthen policing and community relations throughout Minnesota. Their commitment to our cause is truly commendable, and it is thanks to their generosity that we can continue to make a meaningful impact in communities across the state. As we reflect on the success of the Spring Luncheon, the Foundation is filled with a renewed sense of purpose and determination. Together, we will continue to strive for excellence in policing, fostering trust, understanding, and collaboration for the betterment of all. Thanks to the generous supporters of the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Foundation, we are proud to award 17 Executive Training Institute (ETI) Small Agency Scholarships to dedicated Police Chiefs across the state. ETI scholarships help remove funding barriers that often prevent small agencies in our state access to critical law enforcement training like ETI.
Executive Training Institute (ETI) is a world-class annual training event and expo that draws more than 400 law enforcement leaders from across Minnesota. This premier professional development opportunity features nationally recognized speakers and experts in law enforcement. ETI enhances the skills, knowledge, and leadership capabilities of law enforcement professionals. These scholarships are pivotal in meeting the Public Safety needs throughout the state and ensure equitable access to this conference. Each department that applied has fewer than ten officers and considerable budget and training constraints. By empowering police chiefs with knowledge and skills and removing barriers, we help ensure agency leaders have the education and training needed to keep our communities safe. Congratulations to the 2024 scholarship recipients:
The Minnesota Chiefs of Police Foundation continues to raise funds to support the provision of future scholarship opportunities to local police chiefs and their agencies. MCPF is proud to award $25,000 in Community Partnership Grants to 13 Minnesota Police Departments to help advance trust, transparency, and stronger partnerships between police and communities across the state. The following police agencies were awarded community grand funds:
First-time projects were prioritized over repeat projects. Repeat projects were prioritized if they featured notable expansions or critical needs. Grant funding decisions were made by the MCPF's Board of Directors, independent of the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association. The Foundation will offer additional grant opportunities to police departments in the future as funds are raised from generous donors from the community. We are on our way toward making a statewide impact. We look forward to hearing all the positive stories from our grant recipients! On September 21, the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Foundation (MCPF) and Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association (MCPA) held a networking event and VIP training experience at the Maple Grove Police Department's North Metro Regional Public Safety Training Facility. Nearly 30 corporate leaders from the metro region were provided a real-life experience of modern police training. Attendees actively participated in reality-based training, a virtual simulator experience, and a firearms range experience. It was an excellent opportunity for the public and private sectors to partner, develop relationships, and understand 21st-century police training that prepares highly trained officers to meet the challenges faced in their communities.
Thank you to the City of Maple Grove and Mayor Mark Steffenson for providing opening comments for the event and welcoming corporate leaders. Thank you also for the training staff of the Maple Grove, Plymouth, and Brooklyn Park police departments, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, and the North Metro Regional Public Safety Training Facility for creating a high-quality and professional experience for attendees. On May 3rd, 2023, the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Foundation (MCPF) hosted a successful fundraiser luncheon, raising an impressive $145,000 to support their work and, most significantly, their Community Partnerships Grant Program. The event was a significant milestone for MCPF, marking its first fundraising event since the pandemic. Attendees, including those from well-known sponsoring organizations, were eager to come together and support the Foundation's mission to advance high quality, effective policing and strengthen police-community relations in Minnesota through training, outreach, grants and scholarships.
The luncheon took place at Town & Country Club in St. Paul and was emceed by Julie Nelson, a respected news anchor from Kare 11. Her engaging presence and professionalism added an extra touch of excellence to the luncheon. A highly valuable aspect of the fundraiser was the opportunity for attendees to network with over 30 local police chiefs before and after the event. This allowed the participants to connect with key figures in law enforcement, fostering dialogue and understanding between the community and the police. Maple Grove Police Chief Eric Werner shared how his agency benefitted from the Foundation's Community Partnership Grant program by hosting a community meeting that focused on fair and impartial policing. These types of community-focused engagement events are helping to build deeper trust and greater transparency between police and communities across the state. One of the event's highlights was the keynote by David Horsager, a nationally renowned best-selling author of "The Trust Edge." Horsager's expertise in building trust and credibility resonated with the attendees, and his keynote speech captivated the audience, providing valuable insights into effective leadership and the importance of trust in law enforcement. This fundraiser luncheon was a resounding success only made possible by the generous sponsoring organizations. Their unwavering support will give MCPF the resources to act on their initiatives and provide more community grants that will directly impact agencies and their communities, statewide. Foundation Issues Grants to 16 Police Departments in |
Grant Recipients - 1Q 2023
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The Foundation will offer additional grant opportunities to police departments in the future as funds are raised from generous donors from the community. We are on our way toward making statewide impact as we enable our police departments to build trust, transparency and stronger community partnerships. We look forward to hearing all the positive stories from our grant recipients in the next several months!
*Grant funding decisions were made by the MN Chiefs of Police Foundation Board of Directors, independent of the MN Chiefs of Police Association.
*Grant funding decisions were made by the MN Chiefs of Police Foundation Board of Directors, independent of the MN Chiefs of Police Association.
Would you like to support the MCPF Community Partnerships Grant Program? |
MCPF is grateful to be the recipient of a generous $20,000 donation from Hosanna Church and their Heart Ministry out of Shakopee MN. Heart Ministry is very active in the community and has partnered with the Shakopee Police Department for various community events over the years, such as picnics with the police. When the pastor asked Shakopee Police Chief Jeff Tate what else their group can do to help, the Chief pointed out the need for community outreach projects and additional training in other smaller police departments across the state. The congregation stepped up and gave. Thank you to Chief Tate for connecting MCPF to the generosity of Heart Ministry. Gifts like this help MCPF help Minnesota police departments advance community partnerships and offer critical training for police leaders. Would you like to also give to this mission? Donate Today (hyperlink inserted here)
MCPF would like to thank the Schenian Family Foundation for their recent gift of $10,000. Dale Schenian had been a past donor to the Shakopee Crime Prevention Fund and was a strong supporter of law enforcement. The Schenians are expanding their impact and this donation to MCPF will now benefit the Foundation’s efforts statewide.
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