Last Thursday, Officer Chad Streiff of the Eden Prairie Police Department (EPPD) was presented with two additional hockey sticks, further celebrating his knack for nailing drunk drivers on the road. The accolades were in honor of a feat he accomplished in December—a pair of "Hat Trick" arrests made during consecutive shifts. A "Hat Trick" is a term the department uses when an officer makes not one, not two, but three Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) arrests in a single tour of duty.
Since August 2018, Streiff, who serves as a full-time DWI officer thanks to a grant from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, has nabbed an impressive twenty-two Hat Tricks. His record also boasts two "Grand Slams" (four arrests in one shift) and an "Ace" (a staggering five arrests in a shift). His efforts go beyond the tally—it's a relentless pursuit to keep the community safe from impaired drivers.
In the same vein of public safety commitment, Officer Hunter Fricke received a certificate and challenge coin from the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety. This recognition comes as a nod to his sharp policing on January 21, when he put the brakes on two teens who ripped through Highway 212 at 93 mph. Both youths, who were illegally in command of their family vehicles and without a driver's license, had passengers in tow during the high-speed race.
Bill Hammes, law enforcement liaison for the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety, was on hand to present both awards to the officers. "The EPPD and the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety are grateful for both officers' efforts at keeping our streets safe," stated an announcement shared by the EPPD. Photos from the event showed Streiff and Fricke standing proud with Hammes—a testament to the enforcement and recognition of their gritty work against traffic violations and unsafe driving.
As drivers in Eden Prairie and the greater Minnesota area continue to navigate the roads, they can do so with an added sense of security, knowing officers like Streiff and Fricke are on the prowl, curbing the threat of irresponsible driving one arrest at a time. For more details on the commendations given to these officers, visit the EPPD's announcement page here.
