In this issue
- Welcome to Safety First
- Office of Traffic Safety wraps up holiday DWI extra enforcement
- BCA uses family DNA to identify victims in cold cases
- Ask a trooper
- State Fire Marshal: Dig out your fire hydrants
- Commissioner’s corner
- Featured social media post
Welcome to the very first issue of Safety First, a newsletter that brings the work of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) directly to you, the people that we serve. This is where we will share public safety information that directly affects everyone in Minnesota.
"Communication is a big part of keeping the people of Minnesota safe, but more than that, it helps build communities," said DPS Commissioner Bob Jacobson. "It's important to me and the rest of DPS that we stay connected to the people that we serve: You."
WHY IT MATTERS:
- “Safety First” is an unofficial motto for many people at DPS.
- Everything we do is aimed at helping the people of Minnesota thrive, which is something they can do only when they feel safe in their communities.
WHAT IT IS:
- Safety First will keep you up to date on what we are doing across Minnesota, sending the details straight to your inbox on a biweekly basis.
- We are here to serve you. It only makes sense that you know what it is we are doing. Keep reading to find out.
 Troopers, deputies and police officers across Minnesota joined an Office of Traffic Safety-coordinated campaign that resulted in 2,228 DWI arrests between the week of Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve.
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Campaign ends, safe driving continues: While the extra enforcement campaign has come to an end, that doesn't mean now is the time to drive impaired, whether it's from alcohol or any other substance. There are always troopers, deputies and law enforcement officers who are dedicated to keeping the streets safe.
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The danger is real: Nearly 1 out of every 3 deaths (31 percent) on Minnesota roads is related to drunk driving. In the last five years, 620 people lost their lives on Minnesota's roads in drunk driving-related incidents.
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Life-changing: Even if you survive the crash, you could suffer injuries that will affect how you live the rest of your life. Alcohol-related crashes contribute to an average of 377 life-changing injuries (2017-2021) each year.
Learn more here.
Our Bureau of Criminal Apprehension uses family DNA to identify victims like Louis Anthony Gattaino, who went missing in 1971. His remains were found in Rock County, Minn., in 1981 and identified last year.
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Not always available: Unfortunately, there are many more unidentified persons’ remains at medical examiners’ offices across the state, just waiting for that missing puzzle piece to be identified.
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Families can help: We’re asking the families of missing people in Minnesota to provide a DNA sample. We will use that sample to help give the deceased person back the dignity of their name.
Learn more here.
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Question: Can someone please tell dealers or inform people that their auto lights do not work during daylight hours?
Answer: We have been fighting that battle for many years now and I hear about it all the time from people. I have always taught motorists to drive with their headlights on at all times, even during the day, so they can avoid the whole issue of when to have headlights on. Even if you think you have headlights on all the time, you might not. Turn them on manually; then you will know for sure.
Daytime running lights cannot be used in lieu of actual headlights during the times that actual headlights are required to be on.
 Firefighters can't help you in an emergency if they can't find the hydrant.
FACT: Fires double in size every 60 seconds, which means every second counts. You don't want to watch your house burn down as firefighters waste precious time digging out a hydrant.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Shovel a 3-foot path around your hydrant and don't let it get buried in snow.
Follow our State Fire Marshal Division on Facebook and Twitter.
ABOUT US:
- DPS has 10 divisions and more than 2,100 employees who serve Minnesotans from all the way up International Falls down to Spring Grove on the border of Iowa, and everywhere in between.
- We’re here to keep people safe and improve the lives of those who live, work and play here in Minnesota. Part of that is making sure they have all the information they need to make safe decisions for their family.
DID YOU KNOW?
- Driver and Vehicle Services, the Office of Pipeline Safety and Office of Justice Programs are part of DPS? Learn more at dps.mn.gov.
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