December 2023 Newsletter (Volume 9, Issue 12)
December 2023 Newsletter (Volume 9, Issue 12)
Please click on the title below to view each of the different stories in the newsletter.
Toys For Tots
The Sheriff’s Office has volunteered to help with the Toys For Tots campaign again this year. For those unaware, Toys For Tots is a U.S. Marine Corps Reserve charitable program and a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity. They aim to collect new and unwrapped toys and distribute them to less fortunate children at Christmas. They are the organization that places collection boxes around town for donated toys. The toys are sorted here in Rochester (for this region) for appropriate ages. In the last couple of years, over 30,000 toys were collected annually and sorted locally, which means each toy needed to be sorted and handed out. It takes a lot of volunteers to make this work, but the cause and effect are more than worth it.
To learn more, visit the Southeast Minnesota Toys for Tots website!
Tip - A - Cop
December 14, 2023
11 AM-1 PM & 5-8 PM
Head to Glynner’s Pub to enjoy a great meal, support Special Olympics Minnesota and be “served” by local law enforcement from the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office and Rochester Police Department. Athletes from the Rochester Flyers Special Olympics team will be there!
Tis the Season to Avoid Scams
Lieutenant Malinda Hanson
It’s the time of year for holiday parties and festivities. Which means food, presents, and fun with family and friends. Every year, thousands of people become victims of holiday scams and a variety of other scam types. Scammers can rob you of your hard-earned money, personal information, and, at the very least, a festive mood. According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center’s (IC3) 2022 report, non-payment and non-delivery scams cost people more than $281 million dollars last year. Credit card fraud accounted for another $264 million in losses. Scammers rely on misrepresentation, creating fear, and a sense of urgency to get people to fall victim to their scams.
Here are a few tips to avoid holiday scams.
- Practice good cybersecurity “hygiene”. Don’t click suspicious links or attachments in emails, websites, social media, or text messages. These are commonly known as Phishing scams. Be especially wary of requests to update your account or password information.
- Know who you’re buying from or selling to. Check website URLs to make sure they’re legitimate and secure. If you’re purchasing from a company for the first time, do your research and check reviews. Be wary of sellers who post auctions or advertisements as if they reside in the U.S. but then respond to questions stating they’re out of the country for business, family emergency or similar reasons.
- Be careful how you pay. Never wire money directly to a seller. Avoid paying for items with pre-paid gift cards. This is a BIG red flag. Use a credit card for online shopping and check your statement regularly for suspicious transactions. If you see something suspicious, contact your credit card company to dispute the charge.
- Monitor the shipping process. Always get tracking numbers. Be suspect of any credit card purchases where the address of the cardholder does not match the shipping address when you are selling.
And remember: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
If you’ve been scammed, call your credit card company or bank. Dispute any suspicious charges. Contact local law enforcement. Report the crime to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
Salvation Army Bell Ringing
A big thank you to staff and family members who joined in to help ring the bell for the Salvation Army this year!
Our team spent the day at Hy-Vee spreading cheer and accepting donations for the kettle! The money raised will help meet needs in Olmsted County. Each dollar is used locally to support 30 different programs and services of the Rochester Salvation Army. Between the Adult Detention Center Staff and Law Enforcement Staff, we raised $1,501.07 for the day.
Watch for even more good deeds by our staff throughout the holiday season in the January edition!
If you’d like to help ring the bells, sign up on the Salvation Army website!
View more photos from the bell ringing on the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office Facebook page.
Monthly Snapshot: Reported Scam Data for 2022/23
Lieutenant Malinda Hanson & Michelle Jacobson
| Year | Reported $ Loss | Reported Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $342,576 |
49 |
| 2023 | 540,832 |
37 |
| Platform Used | Count |
|---|---|
| Social Media |
21 |
| Texting |
14 |
| Phone Call |
13 |
|
12 |
|
| Online 'Dating' |
6 |
| Unknown |
6 |
|
4 |
|
| In Person |
1 |
Dates of Interest
December 1
Dover City Council Meeting
December 5
Elmira Township Meeting
High Forest Township Meeting
Olmsted County Board Meeting
December 7
Eyota City Council Meeting
Rochester Township Meeting
December 11
Chatfield City Council Meeting
Orion Township Meeting
Rock Dell Township Meeting
December 12
Byron City Council Meeting
Marion Township Meeting
New Haven Township Meeting
Stewartville City Council Meeting
December 14
Eyota City Council Meeting
Rochester Township Meeting
December 18
Eyota Township Meeting
Kalmar Township Meeting
Oronoco City Council Meeting
Rochester City Council Meeting
December 19
Farmington Township Meeting
Olmsted County Board Meeting
Pine Island City Council Meeting
December 20
Haverhill Township Meeting
December 25
Chatfield City Council Meeting
Viola Township Meeting
December 26
Byron City Council Meeting
Stewartville City Council Meeting
December 28
Dover Township Meeting
Eyota City Council Meeting
Olmsted County Fire Meeting
Olmsted County Township Association Meeting
Senior Administration
Sheriff
Kevin Torgerson
Chief Deputy—ADC
James Schueller
Captains
David Adams
Samantha Reps
Macey Tesmer
Chief Deputy—LEC
Brian Howard
Captains
Jon Jacobson
Kelly Lee
Ryan Mangan
Tim Parkin
Chris Wallace
Executive Assistant
Laura Collins