Kare11
MOA now using gun-detecting K-9 officers
With one of the biggest footprints in the state, the Mall of America keeps patron security top of mind.
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — It’s one of the biggest buildings in the metro – the Mall of America.
“Mall of America has about 32 million annual visitors every year,” Will Bernhjelm, VP of security at the mall, said. “We’re at 5.6 million-square-feet; we’re an iconic international tourist destination.”
With a footprint of that size, security at the mall is top of mind. To keep patrons and stores safe, it would be easy to hire more officers.
But the smart thing was to hire this specific one.
“I would say it’s pretty groundbreaking,” MOA Canine Lieutenant Kenny McDonough said.
MOA now has K-9 officers patrolling the storefronts. That in itself isn’t new – they’ve used explosion-detecting dogs in the past.
What’s different, is what they can smell.
“Handgun, revolver, semi-automatic rifle, shotgun, shotgun shells… basically any kind of component of a firearm,” McDonough said. “They’re always pushing us to figure out new ways to accomplish the mission, and when that mission changes, we need to find a new way to do it.”
McDonough was accompanied Wednesday by Ellie, one of eight dogs the mall is hoping to have fully in place by June. Eight may seem like a small number when you look at how many people the mall sees per year, but Bernhjelm says they’re actually well covered.
“Rochester, for example, has eight for the entire city with Mayo Clinic,” he said. “We have eight in this building alone.”
These dogs are a necessary tool for officers to keep people safe – an important piece of what they do, as shootings at the mall are still fresh in some minds.
“The dogs are trained to, even in groups of large people, they’re trained to pinpoint down to the actual person where that odor is coming from,” McDonough said.
It’s a small number with a big job, with plans to keep busy ensuring millions of people safe.
“It’s nice to be the first and to try and push forward with what the dogs are capable of,” McDonough said.
WATCH MORE ON KARE 11+
Download the free KARE 11+ app for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV and other smart TV platforms to watch more from KARE 11 anytime! The KARE 11+ app includes live streams of all of KARE 11’s newscasts. You’ll also find on-demand replays of newscasts; the latest from KARE 11 Investigates, Breaking the News and the Land of 10,000 Stories; exclusive programs like Verify and HeartThreads; and Minnesota sports talk from our partners at Locked On Minnesota.
Watch the latest local news from the Twin Cities and across Minnesota in our YouTube playlist:
Police are investigating after three men were shot early on Saturday morning.
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis police are investigating after three men were shot in the Ventura Village neighborhood early Saturday morning.
According to Minneapolis police, officers were called to the area around East 21st Street and South 15th Avenue around 5 a.m. Saturday.
Officers found three men had been shot. One of the men died and the two others were taken to the hospital with what police described as life-threatening injuries.
Officials said the shooting happened at a small homeless encampment.
Police have not announced any arrests as of Saturday morning.
KARE 11 will update this story as more information is made available.
This Halloween the chocolate shop is getting very festive.
MARINE ON SAINT CROIX, Minn. — A small sweet shop in a Minnesota river town has won some BIG awards for its chocolates.
St. Croix Chocolate Company in Marine on St. Croix has won national and international awards including Best of Show in this year’s America’s Division of the International Chocolate Awards.
Their chocolates are available at the St. Croix Chocolate Company kitchen or online.
This Halloween they are selling a Halloween Countdown Calendar that features 14 prize-winning recipes made into ghosts, bats, skulls and other spooky configurations. They also have a Boo Bag-handled tote that comes with their “best of” Halloween assortment.
Owner and Chocolatier, Robyn Dochterman, joined KARE 11 Saturday to share what St. Croix Chocolate Company has to offer.
MINNEAPOLIS — Making pasta at home is relatively simple, as long as you have the right tools.
October is National Pasta Month and Red Rabbit‘s Corporate Chef, Adam Lerner, joined KARE 11 Saturday to show us how to make homemade noodles in the confines of your own kitchen.
