Metro Transit police sergeant dead after drowning in White Bear Lake
A Woodbury, Minnesota, woman who worked for Metro Transit police is dead after drowning in White Bear Lake on Sunday, according to the Washington County Sheriff's Office.
Rescue personnel responded to the lake at 2:27 p.m. for reports of a woman, later identified by officials as 40-year-old Beverly Rodriguez, who had gone underwater and had not resurfaced.
According to the sheriff's office, Rodriguez was under for around 40 minutes before she was recovered by rescue personnel. She was taken to the hospital, where she later died.
The sheriff's office is investigating the incident.
Rodriguez was a sergeant with Metro Transit police. She oversaw the department's Homeless Action Team, which provides food, clothing and other assistance to people experiencing homelessness.
"We go approach them and ask them how we can help," Rodriguez told WCCO during an interview in 2023.
Metro Transit police said in a on Monday that she "exemplified the very best of public service."
"Sgt. Rodriguez's impact extended far beyond her official duties," the post said. "She understood that behind every interaction was a human being deserving of dignity, respect, and compassion. Her colleagues remember her as someone who could de-escalate the most difficult situations through genuine care and understanding. She built bridges where others saw only barriers, and she offered hope where others might have seen only problems."
