Neighboring cities Coon Rapids and Andover have agreed to institute a no-wake zone during high-water periods on Crooked Lake.
The nonprofit Crooked Lake Area Association, which represents about 120 homeowners, lobbied for the change after a rainy 2014 spring and summer swamped shorelines. The no-wake ordinance will be triggered when water levels reach 861.6 feet for three consecutive days.
The two cities will now work together to get the no-wake rule approved by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. According to the DNR, the lake exceeded that level about four times in the past 10 years. The lake level measured 860.57 this June, the last recorded measurement.
The 119-acre lake has a public boat launch used extensively for skiing, fishing, tubing, canoeing and kayaking, said association president Gary Nereson. Heavy use during high-water periods meant nonstop roiling waves.
"You had waves washing over onto the property. It drags chemicals and debris into the water, which is not good," Nereson said.
STAFF REPORT
Hennepin County
Brooklyn Park police will use body cameras
The Brooklyn Park Police Department has become the latest to equip its officers with body cameras.
During the 60-day pilot program, there will be a minimum of four body cameras on the street, said Deputy Chief Todd Milburn.
The same company that supplies the department with squad car cameras donated 26 free body cameras, priced at $500 a piece, which will be used during the full implementation.
"I wouldn't say we are late to the game," said Police Chief Craig Enevoldsen said during a Sept. 8 council meeting. "There are several larger cities than ours and some about our size that have gone through the growing pains of implementing a body-worn camera system."
Enevoldsen said officers will have discretion on when to turn off the cameras, but they must report their reasoning.
Before police fully implement the body cameras, they will hold a community meeting to talk to residents about expectations.
"I think it's fair to say that it's being viewed as a panacea — this is the end of any kind of police and community conflict — when all it really does is capture the incident itself and sometimes it's not going to capture the incident to the satisfaction of those potentially involved," Enevoldsen said.
