Ah crap, here come the police. Ever heard that line? I’m sure most Edina students have, seeing that Edina’s police force is like a pesky younger sibling- always there ruining our fun and following us around. The police in Edina have a bad rep, prowling the nights to bust couples making out in the parking lots and hand out curfew tickets as the clock strikes midnight, but do they really deserve this reputation?
When I checked the internet and all the online opinions, I got lost in all the hate-the-cops videos on YouTube, such as “Edina Cops Remix 1” and “Edina Cops Remix 2” by bballer0927. The only pages on Facebook that are dedicated to the police are “Jose Cuervo for Edina Police Chief” (a fake page to hate on the cops) and “Edina police piss me off.”
Most student complaints center on Edina police having “nothing better to do” than bust teenagers for speeding and such. True, the cops may be all over the area, but if you know that they are there, don’t do anything stupid and the problem will be avoided. Examples? Don’t speed around 50th and France or after school by Gleason where there are always cops. Don’t go sit in a shady parking lot steaming up the back seat. Don’t drive home after curfew with Lil Wayne blasting out of the speakers.
I’m sure the cops would rather be doing anything else than dealing with a bunch of drunk or rowdy teenagers. Lieutenant Jeff Elasky, from the Edina Police force had the same view. He explained that most officers prefer not to deal with the juveniles for a number of reasons. When officers arrest a juvenile, he explained, they cannot release the person until the guardians come to pick them up. Obviously babysitting is not in their job description.
You may hate interacting with the police on a Saturday night, but I’m sure they hate it just as much as you do. Students could improve the rep with cops if 1) we stop getting into trouble, 2) if you do get into trouble, don’t blow it up, and 3) we get our facts straight. If you are arrested it is probably because you have done something illegal. Elasky advises that when you are engaging with an officer it is best to listen and follow their instructions. Avoid being rude and disrespectful, after all, they are only doing their job. If you treat an officer with respect, Elasky explained, you will be treated with the same respect.
As much as students may despise the police, in reality they are not extra harsh on teenagers. Their job is to “protect and serve,” as Elasky said. Their job is not to be a pest to the public. Elasky explained how most of the rumors we hear about the police stem from false information coming from high schoolers. He thinks that the force can be viewed more positively if teenagers get their stories straight. Most of the rumors about the police start from one of us getting in trouble and then it snowballs from there.
