[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 127 (Thursday, August 6, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S6433]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      RECOGNIZING OUTSTANDING MINNESOTA LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS

 Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize three 
outstanding Minnesota police officers. The Minnesota Police and Peace 
Officers Association, the largest association representing Minnesota's 
rank-and-file police officers, recently met for its annual conference 
and named Sergeant Mark Ficcadenti of the St. Paul Police Department 
Police Officer of the Year and gave Honorable Mention Awards to Officer 
Mark Ross of the St. Paul Police Department and State Trooper Brian 
Beuning.
  Sergeant Ficcadenti is a 30-year veteran of the St. Paul Police 
Department where he serves an indispensable role performing community 
outreach and forging relationships with the most vulnerable immigrant 
populations. Sergeant Ficcadenti organizes events such as the East 
African Junior Police Academy, Ramadan celebrations with the local 
Somali community, and the ``Safe and Sound'' program that allows people 
to meet and get to know local police officers. His tireless efforts to 
ensure that the police department serves all communities has promoted 
safety, encouraged community cooperation, and fostered trust in law 
enforcement.
  Honorable Mention Award recipient Officer Mark Ross of the St. Paul 
Police Department is a former school resource officer, whose awareness 
prompted him to look into a female high school student's frequent 
absences and suspicious relationship with her father. After some 
investigation, Ross revealed that the student's father had been abusing 
and neglecting the young girl for years. The father was convicted and 
is now serving a 25-year sentence in prison. As a result of Officer 
Ross' actions, the young woman has graduated from high school and has 
been accepted into a Minnesota college.
  The second Honorable Mention Award recipient, Minnesota State Trooper 
Beuning, exhibited heroism and outstanding professionalism when 
dispatched last year to help a woman trapped in her car during a flash 
flood in Beaver Creek, MN. After wading through knee-deep waters, State 
Trooper Beuning calmed the trapped woman by standing next to the car 
and speaking to her through a cracked window. Seconds after Trooper 
Beuning and firefighters removed the woman through the window of her 
car, the vehicle was swept away by floodwaters. Three months after his 
act of bravery, Beuning was given the Officer of the Month Award by the 
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
  I join all of my fellow Minnesotans in applauding these three 
distinguished public servants. I would also like to thank not only 
these three individuals but all of Minnesota's brave law enforcement 
officers who keep our communities safe.

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