Minnesota Twins, Speed Trailers and Eagan K-9 Cops

Manalee Johnson, president of the Eagan Citizens Crime Prevention Association, has been a resident of Eagan for five years and the association's president for half of that time. 

Johnson said she became involved in the volunteer organization after an experience with crime in her neighborhood. She was so impressed with the response from the Eagan Police Department that she wanted to do something to give back. 

Eagan residents like Johnson will be participating in Eagan's National Night Out, which happens on Tuesday. The event, going on in communities nationwide, focuses on strengthening community relationships and preventing crime.

The ECCPA was started in 1985 by then police chief Jay Berthe and a group of citizens and business owners concerned about crime.

Eagan Police Chief Jim McDonald says his officers are gratified that there are citizens willing to give of their time and efforts. 

"We have a real supportive communtiy," McDonald says, "but here you have another set of residents who want to take the extra step and do more to help the police department. They want to ensure our officers are equipped."

Over the years, the ECCPS has offered reward money, provided start-up costs for the city's motorcycle traffic unit, paid for training and uniforms for the police honor guard, helped outfit police chaplains so they're recognizable at crime and accident scenes, and offered scholarships through the Eagan Foundation.

The association also has helped purchase the city's two K-9 officers, bankrolled a new speed trailer, and is one of the sponsors of Eagan's the annual National Night Out. There they'll be providing 124, 4-packs of Twins tickets for neighborhoods to give away at their block parties.

Last year, according to McDonald, in celebration of the city's 150th anniversary, the ECCPA raffled off a Twins Suite during National Night Out to benefit the Eagan Resource Center's food shelf. For every 50 pounds of non-perishable food items a neighborhood collected, they received 1 raffle ticket. During that one event, 18 tons of food was collected to benefit the hungry in the area. 

The association's fundraising is limited to a yearly golf tournament, which Johnson says nets around $10,000 to $12,000. Some proceeds from this year's tournament in Hastings will pay for tactical vests to protect Eagan's two canine officers. (In 2010 Major, a Roseville Canine Cop, was stabbed by a robbery suspect and eventually had to be retired.)

The ECCPA meets monthly and Johnson welcomes Eagan residents who want to invest in their community to become an ECCPA volunteer or to participate in the golf tournament.