Moore Named Inaugural Officer of the Year

In one case alone, Edina Police Officer Joel Moore has managed to make more than 170 arrests related to identity theft crimes. It was the sort of thing Police Chief Jeff Long said most departments would never have pursued.

"[It] would've been written and the suspects would've been sent to court for a simple credit card fraud," Long said. "Officer Moore's keen eye and relentless work resulted in many additional arrests, with a total loss expected to reach in the millions worldwide."

Moore's diligence in that case and police work in general was enough to secure him the inaugural Mike Siitari Officer of the Year Award. Moore was honored during the Feb. 21 Edina City Council Meeting, with the council chambers jam-packed with his fellow officers.

"It's a great honor to be honored in this way by my coworkers and peers," Moore said.

Named in honor of Edina's former police chief, the award was created by the Edina Crime Prevention Fund as a way to recognize the work done by officers once a year. Nominations were solicited from members of the Edina Police Department as well as from the Edina community. A total of 15 nominations were collected—Moore was actually nominated twice—and a winner was chosen by the Crime Prevention Fund.

Long said the various nominees did incredible things to set themselves apart from others, including numerous officers who went out of their way to help community members in need. One nominee even managed to write 3,000 citations in a single year—1,000 more than any other officer in the state of Minnesota.

Moore was commended for his work during a plainclothes assignment in Edina's southeast commercial district from 2009-10, during which time he made 411 arrests and cleared 556 crimes.

Long described Moore as diligent, pointing to an arrest he made on May 19, 2011 as a perfect example of his thorough nature. Moore carefully examined a vehicle that had already been searched, finding a hidden compartment containing three bags of marijuana and two handguns.

"Officer Moore exemplifies the work that goes on behind the scenes," Long said. "[He] has made it his mission to arrest and aide in the prosecution of those who jeopardize public safety by preying on the public."