Sheriff's Office 2022 Annual Report - February 2023 Newsletter
Volume 9, Issue 2 - 2022 Annual Report
2022 Annual Report - Newsletter (Volume 9, Issue 2)
To view each of the different stories in the newsletter, please click on the title below.
Note from Sheriff Torgerson
A new year brings new challenges and hope for the future. Our deputies and staff look at each day as a new opportunity to make a difference amidst the daily challenges our communities face. In our business of public safety we will continue to examine ways to improve in technology, community engagement, and most of all the overall safety that most in our communities enjoy. With leadership and cooperation at all levels internally and from other county departments, cities and townships, we will continue to meet our goals. The leadership at all levels in our county from our county board and administrator, city councils and mayors, township officials, legislators and others in leadership, I am confident we can seek and receive continued cooperation and partnerships. As we all know, it takes all of us to have a safe community. We have a great team approach to the challenges we have faced and those yet to come.
We are excited to confront the issues before us. Our mission is to provide quality services that promote and protect the well-being, safety and security of all people in our community. We strive to meet the needs of our community’s diversity, growth, technology challenges and work to prepare all for the future of Olmsted County and its cities and townships.
At the center of every decision is our goal to succeed in our mission statement by providing justice for all.
2022 Annual Report
Mission Statement: “To provide quality services that promote and protect the well-being, safety, and security of all people in our community.”
Who We Are: With nearly 162,847 citizens, Olmsted County ranks seventh
in population size among Minnesota counties with the third-largest city in the State; Rochester. Olmsted County consists of 18 townships and seven cities, for a total area of 653 square miles.
The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) consists of 196 dedicated employees led by Sheriff Kevin Torgerson. Approximately 99 staff work in the Adult Detention Center (ADC), and 97 work in the Law Enforcement Center (LEC).
OCSO is a full-service law enforcement agency responsible for calls for service, investigation of crimes, crime prevention, public education, warrants service, and civil process in Olmsted County, in the unincorporated areas of Olmsted County. OCSO also provides contract law enforcement to Byron, Dover, Eyota, Oronoco, and Stewartville, Minnesota. OCSO is divided into the Law Enforcement Center (LEC) and the Adult Detention Center (ADC). The ADC is responsible for the detention of adult prisoners including pre-sentenced, sentenced, boarders and work release. The ADC offers educational, recreational, and religious programming for detainees. The LEC and ADC work together to deliver excellent service within our community.
Law Enforcement Center (LEC)
The Law Enforcement Center (LEC) side of the Sheriff’s Office consists of 81 licensed deputies and 16 support personnel. The divisions of the LEC include: Patrol, Administrative Services, Staff Training and Emergency Management, Civil and Warrants, Investigations, Government Center Security and Transport, and SE MN Violent Crimes Enforcement Team.
Patrol
Deputies provide 24-hour coverage and take pride in providing effective, efficient, and fair law enforcement when persons who live and travel throughout Olmsted County need assistance. Additionally, Patrol is responsible for responding to calls for service, traffic enforcement, and general law enforcement operations in the county. Many deputies in the Patrol Division are trained in various aspects of service, including joint teams with the Rochester Police Department on the K9 Team, Emergency Response Unit, Forensic Mapping Unit, Project Lifesaver (At-Risk Individual Search Team), and the Crisis Intervention Team. Other capacities of expertise in training include Handgun, Rifle and Shotgun instructors, Use of Force instructors, D.A.R.E. instructors, Field Training Officers, Intoxilyzer Operators, Drug Recognition Experts, and the Honor Guard.
By The Numbers: Deputies respond to several types of calls throughout the year. Some calls require multiple deputies, while others are handled individually—below are the 15 most frequented calls throughout the year.
| Calls For Service Types |
Number of Calls |
|---|---|
|
Traffic Stops |
10609 |
|
Paper Service |
4920 |
|
Assist |
3235 |
|
Community Service |
2129 |
|
Medical |
1379 |
|
Traffic Assist/Complaint/Hazzard |
1364 |
|
Suspicious |
981 |
|
Warrant |
973 |
|
Animal |
583 |
|
Person In Crisis |
574 |
|
Escort |
553 |
|
Alarm |
424 |
| Accident |
371 |
| Theft |
365 |
|
Probation Check |
299 |
Slowing Down?: Although higher speeds seem to be on the decrease there are still an alarming number of speeders well over the posted speed limits.
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Number of Tickets Issued for Observed Speeds between 70-100 Miles Per Hour |
1147 | 547 | 523 |
|
Number of Tickets Issued for Observed Speeds Over 100 Miles Per Hour |
13 | 3 | 5 |
Civil and Warrants
The Civil and Warrants Division is a combined unit in the Sheriff’s Office responsible for serving court-ordered documents, civil papers, and arrest warrants for wanted persons in Olmsted County and beyond.
Our Civil/Warrants Division served a total of 3,313 civil papers in 2022. Some of the higher number of paper service types include Subpoenas (385), Summons and Complaints (371), Harassment Restraining Orders (336), Child Support (327), Commitment/Revocations (302), and Orders for Protection (285). The remaining civil paper numbers are spread over 34 additional types.
2022 Warrants Breakdown: The table below shows the number of warrants we have received and have either arrested or cleared from January 1 through December 19, 2022.
| IN | OUT | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARRESTED | CLEARED | |||
| Family | 102 | 74 | 27 | |
| Misdemeanor | 1462 | 882 | 433 | |
| Gross Misdemeanor | 440 | 312 | 118 | |
| Felony | 669 | 534 | 152 | |
| Total | 2703 | 1802 | 730 | |
| IN | OUT | |||
| Grand Totals | 2703 | 2532 |
Investigations
The Investigations Division is responsible for follow-up investigations after a referral from the Patrol Division, including sex assault investigations, child abuse investigations, and vulnerable adult investigations. Additionally, most of the investigations conducted by our people are referred to us from Olmsted County Community Services, including Child Protection, Adult Protection, and Victim Services.
Investigations By the Numbers
504—The amount of Misdemeanor, Gross-Misdemeanor, and Felony level cases referred to the County Attorney’s Office
196—Cases assigned to the Investigations Division
168—Cases assigned to the Investigations Division for follow-up or to be closed out
Government Center Security and Transport
The Government Center Security (GCS) and Transport Divisions provide security for the Government Center and transport persons in custody on court orders, arrest warrants, or established legal authority. The GCS Division are the deputies that staff the Screening Station on the Second floor, provide armed security in District Courtrooms, and arrest offenders that arrive at the Government Center.
Fun Fact: In 2022, weapon screening deputies screened approximately 34,814 individuals compared to 27,000 in 2021. They also screened 40,839 bin/bags and seized 257 items.
Below is a sample of weapons seized at the 2nd floor Security Screening station in 2022. The Sheriff’s Office takes the task of building security very seriously, and it obviously pays off. To keep items like these out of our hallways and offices makes it a safer place for everyone.
Just How Many Transports?
| Organization | Total of Trips | Total Miles | Total of Deputy Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
|
ADC Medical Trips |
79 | 148 | 157 |
|
City Writs |
1 | 78 | 2 |
|
County Attorney Writs |
75 | 13341 | 374 |
|
Detainees Housed Offsite |
5 | 519 | 14 |
|
District Court Commitments |
43 | 9191 | 299 |
|
Extraditions |
10 | 4684 | 147 |
|
JDC Transports |
6 | 1069 | 30 |
|
NW Shuttle |
8 | 1247 | 34 |
|
SO - Warrants/Apps |
197 | 26169 | 724 |
|
Social Services |
33 | 5745 | 384 |
| Trips | Miles | Deputy Hours | |
| Total | 463 | 63,389 | 2201 |
SE MN Violent Crimes Enforcement Team
The Southeast Minnesota Violent Crime Enforcement Team (SEMVCET) is a multi-jurisdictional narcotic and violent crime unit that shares the common goal of disrupting/destroying illegal drug and gang activity and violent crimes in Southeast Minnesota. In 2022, Investigators had 311 active cases (of which 107 were new cases) and conducted 175 search warrants.
2022 has been a record year for the SEMVCET for seizure weights of controlled substances. Four cases have been charged in Federal Court which will result in substantial prison time for over ten repeat offenders.
Administrative Services
The Administrative Services Division is responsible for planning, directing, and coordinating support services for the Sheriff’s Office to help it run effectively. This includes organizing Deputy Sheriff new hire testing, promotional exam testing, and hiring support services and clerical staff. The division manages the Sheriff’s Office fleet vehicles, including squad car ordering and maintenance. It analyzes internal processes recommending and implementing procedural or policy changes. The division improves operations and ensures policy alignment with state and federal laws and standards as well as works on planning and coordinating budgets for contracts, equipment, and supplies. This includes vendor contracts for technologies currently used or considered by the Sheriff’s Office.
Keeping the Wheels Turning: OCSO’s two mechanics maintain a fleet of over 90 vehicles. In addition, more than a dozen new vehicles are purchased each year, needing to be customized to their specific uses, such as squad cars, transport vans, and more.
Like us on Social Media: OCSO has a Media Development Specialist on staff that maintains our social media sites, covers public outreach, works with our Public Information Officer (PIO), and more so the public is kept up to date on current affairs. Check us out online and see all that we are up to.
Staff Training and Emergency Management
The Staff Training Division is responsible for initial training of new hires and meeting all Peace Officer Standard and Training (POST) board education requirements for our licensed staff. The Emergency Management Division is charged with planning and exercising man-made and natural disasters. This includes maintaining and updating our County’s Emergency Operations Plan. The division also maintains and operates the 97 outdoor warning sirens and facilitates the countywide Storm Watch program.
OCSO’s Commitment to Excellence and Training Pays Off
2022 total calls for service (CFS) equaled 32,923. OCSO reported 56 Use of Force (UOF) incidents in 2022. Use of Force reporting documents both a display of or actual use of force. Of those 56 incidents, 37 of those incidents included the use of approved body control (35) or striking (2) techniques. 4 of the 56 incidents included the use of a weapon system (3 Taser® and 1 handgun) during the incident. Put another way, deputies only had to use force in 1 of every 588 CFS, or 0.0017% of all calls. OCSO has been a leader in Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) since 2007. CIT training has been proven to dramatically reduce the risk of injury and/or death to both officers and consumers of mental health services while reducing the number of repeat calls for service. Currently, 71% of licensed Deputies are certified in CIT (above the State of Minnesota mandate for crisis intervention training) and 100% of licensed Deputies have met or exceeded the State’s mandate. Emergency dispatchers are also given training on CIT.
Just How Much Training?
- OCSO staff received approximately 8,326 hours of training in 2022. Of this, 6,308 hours were POST (Peace Officer Standards Training) certified, and 2018 hours in other areas. The reason for the small reduction of total training hours from 2021 is due to a significant number of Sheriff’s Office staff completing leadership and development courses through the Institute of Credible Leadership in 2021.
- 10 Deputies were hired and trained in 2022. The new hires replaced 8 resignations and 2 retirees.
Adult Detention Center (ADC)
The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for the detention of adult prisoners, including pre-sentenced, sentenced, boarders, work release, and court security. The ADC has three primary divisions: Staff Training and Programming, Administrative, and Operations.
Operations
The Operations Division is responsible for the daily schedule and management of the Adult Detention Center. In addition, maintaining the safety and security of our detainees and staff during the detainee’s stay at the ADC. Safety and security include daily activities, managing behavior, medical care, food services, and maintaining a high level of compliance standards.
ADC Bookings, Court, and Other Information
ADC Bookings (meaning someone was brought into the ADC and processed as a detainee. They were then either kept until appearing in front of a judge or released and notified of future legal proceedings)
- Male - 2785
- Female - 874
- Other - 4
- Average Daily Population Male - 81.87
- Average Daily Population Female - 8.65
- Domestic Violence Bookings: Males - 318 Females - 62
Court Statistics
Arraignments – 2145
- The results of arraignments are as follows:
- Released on own recognize-1438
- Bail/Bond-434
- Sentenced/Held-273
Scheduled – 1477
- The scheduled court hearings were broken down as follows:
- Zoom Hearings: 701
- In-person hearings: 507
- · Out of County hearings: 269
Children of Incarcerated Parents:
- 249 females that were booked reported being a parent of a child under 18
- 687 males booked reported being a parent of a child under 18
- 1877 reported number of children possibly affected by having a parent incarcerated
- 461 children, of the 936 parents incarcerated, lived with their child/children
Administrative Services
The Administrative Services Division is responsible for planning, directing, and coordinating support services for the Sheriff’s Office to help it run effectively. This includes organizing deputy sheriff new hire testing, promotional exam testing, and hiring support services and clerical staff. In addition, this division oversees the booking and court services within the ADC, compliance, and staff wellness. This also includes gun permit processing.
Staff Training and Programming
The Staff Training and Programming Division is responsible for staff training, work release, sentenced to service, drug court, and inmate programs. Staff training includes training of new hires, existing staff and contract employees, policy review, and compliance. Programming includes work release and sentence to service for detainees and drug court. It also provides programming for the detainees and works with civilian volunteers.
Work Release by the Numbers: 76 males and 11 females were booked at Work Release in 2022. This number remains unusually low due to COVID and alternative sentencing.
Giving Back: A total of 6,264 hours of detainee Sentence to Service (STS) hours were provided in 2022. This number remains lower than average due to COVID.
Time to Train: The ADC hired 15 Detention Deputies in 2022. To prepare nine people on shift required 6761.5 hours of training time by dedicated staff. Additionally, trainees receive 127.5 hours of academy time before going to shift.
Detainees and Training as Well: OCSO encourages detainees to further their education if they desire while staying in the ADC. In 2022, detainees took advantage of approximately 900 hours of education. Further, 11 received GED Graduations.
Detainee Program Attendance
- Library - 782
- Gym - 3,377
- Programming - 1,224
Drug Court Program: In 2022 there were approximately 33 participants in the Drug Court Program. In addition, there were five graduates and seven terminations from the program.
Video Visitation: In 2022 there were approximately 2,909 on site visits and 3,542 off-site visits. Off-site visits have become more convenient and available for family and friends to visit detainees in custody. On-site visits are still available and used, but we are seeing higher numbers of off-site visits.
Public Fingerprints: Our Work Release staff have done 2,750 public fingerprinting that are done by appointment at varied hours during the day, evenings, and weekends.
Gun Permits
- Permit to Purchase: 1107
- Permit to Carry: 961
- Permit to Carry Renewals: 518
Recruitment Efforts
The Sheriff's Office has not been immune to national labor shortages. As a result, the LEC and ADC have increased recruitment efforts outside our local community. Since mid-2022, we have created a dedicated personnel recruitment team to help promote our office's values and highlight all we offer. We focused on attending career fairs at colleges, State Police Explorer programs, and other vocational places likely to be attended by like-minded people looking to enter law enforcement as a profession. We went to nearly a dozen events across the state and North Dakota, looking for the most qualified candidates. As a result, the ADC and LEC have successfully filled positions with dedicated staff delivering excellent services to our county. In addition, we are now accepting applications and testing quarterly to attract and hire the best.
Community Engagement
Serving and protecting the citizens of Olmsted County is our #1 priority, and a piece of that puzzle includes community engagement. Throughout 2022, several Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office members participated in community events such as Night to Unite, Special Olympics fundraisers like the Polar Plunge, Safe City Nights in Rochester, community festivals, parades, and more. Below are some photos from Night To Unite this past year.
