Ask a Trooper by Troy Christianson

Question: I have a question about the Minnesota State Patrol blood relays. Recently, one was performed from the Twin Cities to Redwing. Why did it involve three patrol officers? I know this isn’t a great distance and have just been wondering what rules or regulations dictate how this is handled.

Answer: The story you are referring to was recently shared on our Facebook page, but a number of years ago I provided a blood relay from Cannon Falls to Winona.

The Minnesota State Patrol is divided into 11 districts across the state. Each district has several stations that are assigned a number of troopers.

Troopers will occasionally transport the blood relay a great distance depending on how many troopers are working within the station and district at that time. Troopers are often busy with other calls for service (crashes, motorist assists, etc.), which may impact how the blood is transported.

Time is crucial in these situations, so being familiar with the area is critical. Troopers working a specific district know the most efficient route to the hospital while troopers from outside the district may not.

You can avoid a ticket — and a crash — if you simply buckle up, drive at safe speeds, pay attention and always drive sober.  Help us drive Minnesota toward zero deaths.

If you have any questions concerning traffic related laws or issues in Minnesota, send your questions to Sgt. Troy Christianson, Minnesota State Patrol, at 2900 48th St. NW, Rochester, MN 55901-5848; or reach him at Troy.Christianson@state.mn.us.

Troy Christianson is a sergeant with the Minnesota State Patrol.