Why do cops like glocks? "Reliability, durability and simplicity," states Chaska Police Chief Scott Knight, in the Tucson massacre-related Miami Herald story "Glock: What draws good, bad guys to the same gun."

Knight is also chairman of the firearms committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

He notes that 22 of his department's 25 officers choose to carry a Glock, when given the option of a glock, a Smith & Wesson, a SIG Sauer or a Beretta.

The Chaska Police Department's Citizen Academy is back.

Citizen Academy is a six-session program in which people learn about police work in Chaska by experiencing police work. Lectures and actual hands-on experiences are combined for a unique insight into the police department. The classes are held on Tuesday nights from 6 to 8 PM and are free.

Updated:

Highway 41 closed south of downtown Chaska during Monday evening rush hour. Traffic was not allowed to cross the bridge due to an accident on the Scott County side. The road closed between Highway 169 and Chaska.

The Chaska Police Departments’ next Citizen Academy begins Feb. 1, according to a recent 411 Chaska police newsletter.

The Citizen Academy is a six-session program, in which people learn about police work in Chaska by experiencing police work.

A Chaska man apparently died at the wheel of his vehicle early Friday morning and the vehicle went a long distance through an open field before it crashed into a Shakopee garage.

Douglas Morrissette, 57, was found slumped over the passenger’s side of the vehicle after the homeowner heard the crash and rushed outside at about 2:51 a.m. The homewoner, Jeff Somerson, of 1871 Evergreen Lane, told KSMP-TV that he felt no pulse on the driver and pulled Morrissette’s foot off the gas pedal and turned the car’s motor off.

According to the latest Chaska police newsletter, a woman was shot with a BB gun while walking in Chaska.

"Two women were walking on Crosstown Blvd. As they were walking, one woman was shot in the right leg with a BB gun," the newsletter stated. "They did not know who shot the BB gun and called 9-1-1. The victim did not request medical attention.

By Chuck Friedbauer

About 100 teenagers and several Chaska Police officers attended the Nov. 5 event, called “Face2Face,” to get to know each other a little better and talk about community issues.

“I’ve been out biking with my friends when we’ve seen a cop, and they want to hide,” said local eighth-grader Ryan Bjerva. “But I don’t understand that, because that officer is just checking to make sure everything is safe.”

The latest Chaska Police Department's 411 newsletter reported this news of the weird.

"During a routine driver’s license check, an officer learned a male had numerous active arrest warrants.

"The male denied his identity and gave a false name to the officer. However, the officer did not believe him due to one simple fact. The male had his name tattooed on his arm, which was visible to the officer.

An enhanced statewide seat belt Oct. 8-28 enforcement campaign resulted in 13,302 seat belt tickets.

The Chaska Police Department issued 10 tickets during the campaign, and the Carver County Sheriff’s Office issued 82, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) Office of Traffic Safety.