Edina Officer Named Coast Guard’s ‘Enlisted Person of the Year’

An Edina police officer has been named as the 9th Coast Guard District's Reserve Enlisted Person of the Year, the district announced last week.  

Petty Officer 1st Class Kevin Rofidal, a maritime enforcement specialist, worked with Coast Guard historians and staff at the National Personnel Records Center and the Officer Down Memorial to successfully verify 11 Coast Guard reservists so that their names could be engraved on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C.  

Each year, only one active-duty and one reserve member is chosen as enlisted person of the year out of about 1,700 members in the district who are in the eligible.  

“Petty Officer Rofidal, through his exemplary commitment to Coast Guard missions and servant leadership, really exemplifies our service’s core values,” a news release quoted Cmdr. Kenneth R. Bryan, commanding officer of Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Duluth. “His individual contribution, and those of the entire Reserve cadre throughout the 9th Coast Guard District, is absolutely critical to team Coast Guard meeting missions and serving the public.”  

Rofidal was also awarded a Coast Guard Achievement Medal during a special visit to the Marine Safety Unit Duluth by Capt. John Bingaman, chief of staff of the 9th Coast Guard District.  

The district is responsible for all Coast Guard operations throughout the five Great Lakes, the Saint Lawrence Seaway and parts of the surrounding states   In addition to his work with the Edina Police Department and the Coast Guard, Rofidal is also chairman of the Eden Prairie Veterans Memorial Committee and in charge of coordinating the Memorial Day tribute.