Bemidji Police Department to Conduct Tobacco Compliance Checks

In order to assure that local tobacco retailers are not furnishing tobacco to underage buyers, the Bemidji Police Department will be conducting tobacco compliance checks beginning in early April.  The checks will continue into late May.

 

The Bemidji Police Department encourages licensed tobacco retailers to educate their employees on proper procedures in checking customers’ identification and refusing sales to underage buyers.   Employees and employers may be subject to criminal and civil penalties for tobacco sales made to underage persons.

 

This round of tobacco compliance checks is funded by a grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division.  The grant is part of the “Educate and Congratulate Project” which seeks to educate retailers and keep tobacco out of the hands of Minnesota youth.

 

BEMIDJI POLICE ARREST SUSPECT IN DEATH OF CHILD

On February 27th, 2014, at 6:23 a.m. the Bemidji Police Department, along with members of Bemidji Ambulance, Bemidji Fire and the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office, responded to a weather related medical call at 924 Carter Circle SE, Bemidji, MN. Upon arrival officers discovered a 6 year old female who was unresponsive. She had signs of being exposed to the frigid elements and was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The Bemidji Police Department has been working tirelessly to establish the details, timeline and cause for the exposure death of six year old Mercedes Mayfield. The Bemidji Police Detectives have worked closely with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office, Beltrami County Social Services, Beltrami County Attorney’s Office and the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office to assure all evidence has been collected and processed during this exhaustive investigation.

 

On March 14^th Rachel Downer, age 22 of Bemidji, was arrested and booked for 2^nd degree Manslaughter and felony Neglect of a child. Rachel Downer is a cousin of Mercedes Mayfield.

 

Church Fundraiser Proceeds Stolen in Hubbard County Burglarly

The Hubbard County Sheriff's Office and the MN Bureau of Criminal Apprehension are investigating a burglary at a residence in northern Hubbard County that occurred sometime between 2/9/2014 and 2/13/2014.

Taken was a money bag containing proceeds from a church fundraiser for the Knights of Columbus. The empty money bag was recovered in the area of Cass Lake and was turned into First National Bank in Bemidji, MN on 2/11/2014 by an unknown male party.

The MN BCA & the Hubbard County Sheriff’s Office are seeking the identity of the male individual that located the money bag in an effort to gather information on the location and time that the money bag was recovered. 

Any information regarding the identity of the male individual or information surrounding the burglary, please contact Deputy Bill Schlag with the Hubbard County Sheriff's Office at 888-732-3332.

 

Beltrami County Sheriffs Reports for March 5th