Honor Page

Mong Lee

Retired Rank: Inspector
Agency: Saint Paul Police Department
Years of Service: 31 years

After 31 years of dedicated service in public safety, I am retiring with a career built on service, commitment, and a strong connection to the community.I began my career with the Minnesota Department of Corrections, where I spent seven years serving in corrections and developing a strong foundation in public safety and public service. I then joined the Saint Paul Police Department, where I dedicated the next 24 years to serving the residents of Saint Paul.

Throughout my career with the Saint Paul Police Department, I had the opportunity to serve in a variety of roles, including Patrol Officer, School Resource Officer, Background Investigator, Community Engagement Officer, and Missing Persons Investigator. Each assignment provided unique experiences and opportunities to make a difference in the lives of the people and communities I served.

I was honored to conclude my career as an Inspector in the Chief’s Office, where I wasable to draw upon the experiences and lessons gained throughout more than three decades in public safety.

I am grateful for the many colleagues, mentors, community members, and friends who were part of this journey. It has been a privilege to serve, and I leave this career proud of the work accomplished and thankful for the people I had the opportunity to work alongside and serve.

Richard Straka

Retired Rank: Commander
Agency: Saint Paul Police Department
Years of Service: 33 years

I went through the Trooper academy and was primarily stationed in the St. Paul District before joining SPPD in 1993. I worked Central District, West District, ACOP and was part of the original MN Gang Strike Force before being promoted to Sergeant and beingassigned to the Juvenile Unit.

I then transferred to SIU and then to the newly formed Gang Unit. I then moved to the newly formed FBI Twin Cities Safe Streets Violent Crime Task Force. In 2014 I was promoted to Commander in Central District, in charge of the FORCE Unit and Downtown Beat and after 2 years I was transferred to the Property Crimes Unit in which I retired from.

I was fortunate to be able to work closely with the Hmong Community. I was the Scoutmaster for Hmong Boy Scout Troop 94 in McDonough housing for 10 years. I learned much about the community from the youth and from over 20 years doing gang investigations, and met many incredible people. Treat everyone with respect. Remember that the patch on your sleeve is more important than your rank. Be Humble, I was always known as "Officer Rich" no matter what my rank was to the community. I was at the MN State Fair, and an old gang member came up to me and thanked me for arresting him many years ago, and told me that it changed his life. That is humbling.

Join Our Mailing List!