News Flash

Trauma and grief roll deep.

On the heels of Fargo Police Officer Wallin’s murder, this year’s acknowledgement of how gun violence has affected our community seems particularly heavy.

On July 30, 2014, MHPD Officer Scott Patrick was murdered while conducting a traffic stop. On July 29, 2017, Beverly Cory was murdered while working in her office in Mendota Heights.  

While it is Beverly and Scott’s loved ones who were impacted the most by these tragedies, violence has a ripple effect that is hard to grasp. So many people remember exactly where they were when the heard the news of the murders of people that they never met…and it shook their sense of safety. Greif never really goes away, so make sure to give yourself a little grace when it hits. 

It is really easy for me to go down the rabbit hole of “what if” and obsess over the seemingly inconsequential actions that can be the difference between life and death. No officer should be taking foolish risks, but every officer understands that we will be called to face risk so that others don’t have to. We may never know about the tragedies we prevent, and we can never forget the ones we don’t.  

On July 30, 2023, there will be an informal remembrance ceremony for Officer Patrick at the intersection of Smith Avenue and Dodd Road starting at Noon. 

All are welcome.