If you have a tip concerning a crime, call the St. Joseph Police Department at 320-363-8250 or Tri-County Crime Stoppers at 320-255-1301 or access its tip site at tricountycrimestoppers.org. Crime Stoppers offers rewards up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for a crime.
Aug. 8
5:42 p.m. Domestic. 185th Avenue. Officer assisted Stearns County patrol with establishing a perimeter for a felony domestic which happened in Avon Township. Officer watched I-94 with negative contact. County subsequently arrested suspect when he returned to the residence. Nothing additional.
7:38 p.m. Noise complaint. Iverson Street W. Complainant stated the neighbors’ voices are loud and they had asked them to be quiet, and they did not. Officer spoke with a suspect who stated they are just talking and the kids are playing. She was frustrated police were called but agreed to keep their voices down. Officer was informed by another officer of a noise complaint with kids playing at Morningside Townhomes. A few moments later, complainant called in to report the noise had not stopped. Officer responded, arrived in the area and observed approximately 20-25 kids playing on scooters, bikes and on the playground at the townhome complex. The kids were from multiple different units. Officer did not see this as a violation, however did stop and speak with one of the parents again. While speaking with her the complainant came out from her front porch and started yelling at the parents for not working, saying she had to work in the morning, and her kids needed to sleep and couldn’t with the noise. Officer tried to diffuse the situation. Officer was advised management has a 10 p.m. quiet time and currently it was approximately 8:30 p.m. Officer stood by in area until almost dark (approx. 9 p.m.) and most kids were all inside and all was quiet. Officer spoke with another unidentified neighbor who told the officer the kids were not out of line, and they were just having fun and the noise is not an issue. They advised the complainant is simply overreacting. Officer advised If a verbal started again to call back and neighbor said they would.
Aug. 9
2:35 p.m. Bank deposit. Callaway Street. Officer brought a money deposit to Sentry Bank for the city of St. Joseph. No issues.
7:29 p.m. Lift assist. Minnesota Street. Officer was dispatched to a lift assist and upon arrival made contact with a woman who said she had fallen out of her wheelchair when she was moving to the commode. She was complaining of leg pain when moved. Officers got her back into her wheelchair. Once in her wheelchair, one of the officers determined the female could not care for herself due to the pain. Officer asked dispatch to send Mayo Ambulance to come and transport female to the hospital.
10:13 p.m. Suspicious vehicle. CR 75 W. While on patrol, an officer observed a vehicle parked behind the baseball field at Millstream Park. The car was occupied with two individuals. Officer made contact with the driver who said he and his passenger were watching a video. Officer informed them that parks close at 10 p.m. and they had to leave the park. Nothing further.
Aug. 10
6:17 a.m. Suspicious activity. Elena Lane. Officers were dispatched to a suspicious activity complaint. One officer reported there were three juveniles in a new house that was under construction across the street. Officers responded and made contact with the juveniles. They said they were just looking at the house one of them was going to be moving into. They also said they were all staying with the first person at his house. They said they had been out walking around since about 3 a.m. They said they went to the skate park, Kwik Trip West and then to the house they were at. They said they didn’t do anything illegal. Officers informed the juveniles of the curfew. Parents and a grandparent were contacted and informed of the incident. One was picked up. The other two went together to a residence. One of the moms stated she would communicate with the other mom to arrange a time to pick her son up. Nothing further.
7:11 p.m. Suspicious person. 20th Avenue SE. While on patrol, officer noticed a vehicle in an area with heavy drug traffic. After running the plate, officer confirmed the known driver of the vehicle through an in-house record. Another patrol was able to get behind the vehicle. First officer verified driver and attempted to make contact with the driver at Kwik Trip East. The driver fled into the store. After checking the store, his girlfriend stated suspect was standing outside by the dumpsters. Made contact with him and took him into custody without incident. Transported him to Stearns County Jail without incident.
Aug. 20
12:33 a.m. Suspicious vehicle. Dale Street. While on routine patrol, officer drove through the parking lot of Klinefelter Park and observed a suspect vehicle parked in the lot with two persons in the front seats. Officer made contact via the driver’s side window and immediately smelled the odor of marijuana. Both occupants admitted to just smoking marijuana and the passenger proceeded to produce a tinfoil ball about the size of a large marble containing marijuana. For training purposes, the officer turned the call over to a training officer for processing. Training officer made contact with the two persons and smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Officer had both occupants step out of the vehicle so to search the car, located a small amount of marijuana and para in the vehicle and seized the marijuana and para to be processed into evidence to be destroyed.
Aug. 21
10:50 a.m. Suspicious person. Graceview Loop. Complainant reported a female party came to his house and yelled at him in his driveway that he didn’t own the house and then left. Complainant thought it was odd. Officer documented the incident but told complainant nothing criminal occurred. Officer advised complainant to call if it happened again and explained Harassment Restraining Order and trespass process if he wished to pursue those avenues.