INFORMATION 02-21-1994
LEON R. ERSTAD
RICHARD RIEMER
- JEFFREY B. NELSON
. LAWRENCE]. SKOGWND
GEORGE C. HOTTINGER
JEFF M. ZALASKY
JON K. IVERSON
MICHAEL]. KOSHMRL
STEVEN F. MATTAINI
ERSTAD & RIEMER, PA.
1000 Northland Plaza
3800 West 80th Street
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55431
Telephone (612) 896-3700
Fax (612) 896-3717
DANIEL A. LIVELY
THOMAS E. EMMER, JR..
DIANA L. BRENNAN
PAUL D. REUVERS
THOMAS H. SCHAEFER
SANDRA L. ]ONES
LAURI A. VRANYES
'AlSO LICENSED IN WISCONSIN
February 16, 1994
Mr. Tom Zerwas
Chief of Police
ELK RIVER POLICE DEPARTMENT
720 Dodge Avenue
Elk River, MN 55330
RE: Matthew J. Elliott v. City of Elk River
Our File: 10008.0029
Dear Chief Zerwas:
~ I am writing to commend Elk River Police Officers Ken Rollins, Dave
Hurd, and Bob Kluntz for their professionalism, cooperation, and
performance under pressure. I have recently had the pleasure of
representing these fine officers in a civil lawsuit filed against
them. It is not easy being a defendant in a civil lawsuit. It is
stressful, unpleasant and oftentimes unfair to have an emergency
police response which takes seconds, evaluated over a process which
takes months and years. Officers Rollins, Hurd and Klutz withstood
this pressure admirably.
I represent law enforcement officials throughout the state. As
part of the preparation for our defense, I break down individual
officer conduct into a step by step process. In this case, I have
always believed Officers Rollins, Hurd and Kluntz acted with
remarkable restraint and control in a serious emergency situation.
They capably disbursed a party involving upwards of 300 youths
drinking in a confined space. They documented their response very
well with their police reports, and the booking records and photos
similarly supported the action that was taken.
Very seldom does a judge direct a verdict in favor of defendants in
a civil lawsuit. The fact Judge Danforth saw fit to do so in this
case supports the reasonableness of these officers' conduct. In my
opinion, the citizens of Elk River have been very ably served
~
.
e
.
.
Mr. Tom Zerwas
February 16, 1994
Page 2
throughout the pendency of this matter. Please congratulate these
officers for me and thank them for their cooperation, courtesy and
professionalism during my involvement on their behalf.
Yours truly,
ERSTAD & RIEMER, P.A.
~~s{).,e~
JIG: be
-
cc: Hank Duitsman, Mayor of Elk River
Doug Gronli, LMCIT
Robert Weisbrod, Berkley Risk Services