Metro briefs: Brooklyn Park officer named Negotiator of the Year

Brooklyn Park police officer and crisis negotiator Andrew Tolbert has been named the Special Operations Training Association's Negotiator of the Year.

Tolbert won the award for his communication skills, professionalism and empathy during a hostage standoff in January 2021, according to the nonprofit.

Tolbert, who has been with the department for 13 years, entered a residence where an armed home invasion suspect was holding a 7-year-old hostage. Tolbert established a rapport with the suspect and after an hour persuaded the suspect to release the boy, who was unharmed, said Brooklyn Park Deputy Chief Mark Bruley.

Tim Harlow

Police Department offering decals to share special health conditions

The Rosemount Police Department is offering residents free decals to inform police and other first responders of "silent conditions" such as autism, diabetes or hearing impairment that may affect a person's ability to communicate in an emergency.

Residents can pick up decals at the Police Department's lobby during business hours and should place them on their front door or refrigerator, the release said.

"This placement will help to prevent crimes of opportunity and ensure consistency for first responders," the release said.

Questions can be directed to officer Kendra Wubben at kendra.wubben@ci.rosemount.mn.us.

Erin Adler

Nonprofit exec appointed to City Council

The Shoreview City Council has appointed John Doan to fill a vacant seat on its five- member council.

Doan had served on the city's planning commission since 2015. He is the vice president for operations and equity at Trellis, a nonprofit that helps people optimize well-being as they age, according to a city news release.

Doan studied civil and environmental engineering at Carnegie Mellon University and has a master's degree in public policy, with a concentration in housing, urban development and transportation, from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.

Doan was born in Saigon, Vietnam, and moved to Minnesota as a refugee. He grew up in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis and attended St. Thomas Academy. Doan and his wife, Erin, have two college-age children.

Doan fills the vacancy created when longtime Council Member Terry Quigley died in January.

Shannon Prather

City considers future fire station site

The Edina City Council will soon decide the location of a new fire station after a 2018 study recommended replacing one of the city's two stations.

WIsconsin-based consultant Five Bugles Design found the best location for Fire Station 2 would be near the southeast portion of the city, which has experienced an increase in medical call volume.

The two potential sites are the parking lot of Rosland Park and 4401 76th St. W., an 8-acre parcel in the Pentagon Park neighborhood. If the station is built in Rosland Park, the city would construct a parking ramp to replace the parking lot that serves visitors to the nearby playground and Edina Aquatic Center.

Fire Station 2 is currently located on York Avenue next to the Southdale YMCA, and Chief Andrew Slama has said it's too small for operations. The city's other station at 6250 Tracy Av. was remodeled in 2008. Five Bugles also recommended Edina build a third station near City Hall within the next five to 10 years.

The council will discuss recommendations for Fire Station 2 at its May 4 meeting.

Kim Hyatt