Edina Police Officer Emily Jepson Named Officer Of The Year

EDINA, MN —Emily Jepson, the Edina Police Department's community engagement officer, was named the 2021 Mike Siitari Officer of the Year on Wednesday at the Edina City Council meeting, according to the City of Edina.

Jepson, who joined the police force in 2014, was promoted to community engagement officer this spring.

According to the department, Jepson's nomination for the award highlighted her work impacting the community and the department on mental health issues and employee wellness.

Jepson, according to the department, has been heavily involved with the integration of an embedded social worker with the EPD. This has helped ensure that the mental health needs of the community are being met.

Donna Nelson, the social worker, often accompanies Jepson to the scene for mental-health-related calls for service.

Additionally, Jepson is considered a leader for the internal resources available to officers and staff, the department said. She is a member of the EPD's Peer Support Team, which is dedicated to the wellness of officers and staff during difficult personal and work-related incidents. Plus, Jepson has played an important role in the city's Employee Assistance Program, which provides counseling and other resources to city employees.

While accepting her award at the city council meeting, Jepson said that being a police officer is "the best job in the world."

"I am privileged to be invited into residents' homes, witness incredible vulnerability, bravery and care," Jepson said. "I get to do something new every day and sometimes, I feel like I make a difference. I am humbled to serve alongside these men and women, and I strive to earn my place among them."

The Mike Siitari Officer of the Year award is given annually to the EPD officer who has modeled exemplary service and leadership through innovation and public relations, according to the department.

Siitari was the EPD's police chief from 1999 to 2009 and spent 31-years with the department. The award winners are selected by members of the Edina Crime Prevention Fund.

EPD Chief Todd Milburn said Jepson is a worthy winner of the award.

"Officer Jepson is a creative thinker who strives to engage the community she serves in ways that build trust and confidence," Milburn said. "She is very well-deserving of this honor, and I am proud of her accomplishments."