Sheriff’s Office Newsletter - June 2021

June 2021 newsletter (Volume 7, Issue 6)

To view each of the different stories in the June 2021 newsletter (Volume 7, Issue 6), please click on the tabs below.

Battle of the Badges is Back

The Battle of the Badges is back! You can join us for the annual Battle of the Badges blood donation challenge, involving first-responder groups in Olmsted County. Show your support by donating on behalf of your favorite organization. Everyone is welcome!

Participating teams include:

• Law Enforcement (Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office and Rochester Police Department)
• Fire Department (Byron, Rochester and Stewartville Fire Departments)
• Ambulance Service (Mayo Clinic)

You can learn more about the challenge by visiting the Mayo Clinic Connect website.

Call 507-287-4475 to schedule your donation. To see hours and locations visit the Mayo Clinic Blood Donor Program website and help Law Enforcement retain the title!

Spring Awards Ceremony

Every year the Sheriff’s Office conducts two awards ceremonies to recognize the good work of Sheriff’s Office staff and civilians from our community. One ceremony is held in April. As you can guess last Aprils’ ceremony was postponed due to COVID. We had to re-schedule the ceremony three times because of the pandemic and be creative in how we could make it happen and keep people safe.

Finally, on May 22, we were able to recognize several individuals, some of whom had been waiting over a year, in a creative way. 41 staff and civilians were presented their recognition from the Sheriff in the Olmsted County Boardroom. The event was streamed live on a private YouTube channel for friends and family to watch. This was a first for the office and allowed us the ability to give people the recognition they deserved and still allow their loved ones to be a part of the ceremony virtually. See the list of those that were recognized.

Special Olympics Athletes: Anne MacGillivray and Travis Whitcomb

Letters of Recognition: Detention Deputies Kaitlin Bain, Rich Carlson, Jose Contreras Paredes, Keith Gottschalk, Hunter Johnson, Tom Lansing, Katie Refsland, Dave Shufelt, Alan Stockinger, and Sheri Zeller. Detention Corporal Mark Nelson, Captain Macey Tesmer, Chief Deputy Brian Howard. ADC Support Specialists Amy Rayman and Marisa Thorpe, Sergeant Kirby Long, Corporals Taylor Schoenfelder and Mike Strelow and civilians Missy Scott, Brent Weber and Laura Wolf

Life Saving Awards: Detention Deputies Tiffany Howlett, Chad Mather, Dave Thomason and Jeff Tompkins. Deputies Nick Heimer, Adam Hennen, Tom Olson, Brendan Rasinski, Michael Reese, Jeff Salley, Nathan Trueblood and Wyatt Trester, Corporal Tracy Pagel, Sergeants Nick Jacobson and Kirby Long and civilians Dr. Kathryn McKenzie and Raymond Northway

Medal of Commendation:  Detention Deputy Dave Schilling

Bi-Annual Swearing-In Ceremony

Twice a year the Sheriff’s Office has a public ceremony where new staff and those getting promoted take their oath in front of family and friends. Last year only one ceremony was conducted as a result of the pandemic. This ceremony took place outside at the Olmsted County Historical Center in October. While planning for the spring ceremony COVID restrictions were still in place so the ceremony was again held at the Historical Center. On Tuesday May 25th, 25 staff took their oath and had a family member pin their badge on their uniform. This is to symbolize that the family is now part of the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office family too.

Detention Deputy: Aaron Farr, Dakota Schafer, Corina Olvera, Brett Helling, Sodara Lam and Austin Knutson-Klaysmat.

Deputy Sheriff: Nathan Heeren, Dylan Deruiter, Christopher Streed, Courtney Amos, Jonah Staffan, Clayton Cowdin and Justin Kassel.

Sheriff Support Specialist: Brianna Reed; Fleet Maintenance Mechanic: Shane Yohe

Promotions: LE Captain Jon Jacobson and ADC Captain Sam Reps. LE Lieutenant Jim Schueller, LE Sergeant Brady Wolhart and Mark Chambers, LE Corporal Mike Strelow, Tracy Pagel, Rian Jones and Taylor Schoenfelder. LE Lead Fleet Maintenance Mechanic Josh Morris

K9 Graduation

Congratulations to Deputy Nick Heimer and K9 Ranger for graduating from the St. Paul Police K9 Academy on May 27, 2021.

Civil Service Commission Changes

The Sheriff’s Civil Service Commission is bidding farewell to one commissioner and hello to another. The commission has many responsibilities including overseeing fair and equal hiring and promotional process’, and protecting employees from political interference.

May 19th, 2021 was Commissioner Angel Garcia’s last meeting. He started with the commission on March 24th, 2015. Those that have had the honor of working with Mr. Garcia noted the professionalism and insight he displayed. Commissioner Garcia will undoubtedly be missed as he heads off to spend more time with his family and enjoy the great outdoors.

At the same, we are welcoming Commissioner Kathleen Harrington. Ms. Harrington’s first meeting will be on June 16th. She will join Commissioner Powers and Dybevik in guiding the Sheriff’s Office. Commissioner Harrington has been in Rochester for over a decade from Washington, D.C., where she worked in the private and public sectors on Capitol Hill and at the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services.  She is now retired, having worked at Mayo Clinic as Director of Government Relations. And at the Rochester Chamber of Commerce.  She is very much looking forward to participating and contributing to the work of the Civil Service Commission.

Dates of Interest

Note—these are regular dates—please verify these meetings are taking place as well as the forum they’ll be held in.

June 1

High Forest Township Meeting

Elmira Township Meeting

June 2

Salem Township Meeting

June 3

Dover City Council Meeting

Olmsted County Board Meeting

June 7

Cascade Township Meeting

Oronoco Township Meeting

Pleasant Grove Township Meeting

Quincy Township Meeting

Rochester City Council Meeting

June 8

Byron City Council Meeting

Marion Township Meeting

New Haven Township Meeting

Stewartville City Council Meeting

June 10

Eyota City Council Meeting

Rochester Township Meeting

June 14

Chatfield City Council Meeting

Orion Township Meeting

Rock Dell Township Meeting

June 15

Farmington Township Meeting

Olmsted County Board Meeting

Pine Island City Council Meeting

June 16

Haverhill Township Meeting

June 21

Eyota Township Meeting

Kalmar Township Meeting

Oronoco City Council Meeting

Rochester City Council Meeting

Seal Belt Championship

June 22

Byron City Council Meeting

Stewartville City Council Meeting

June 24

Eyota City Council Meeting

Olmsted County Fire Meeting

Olmsted Co. Township Assoc. Meeting

June 28

Chatfield City Council Meeting

Dover Township Meeting

Viola Township Meeting

Senior Administration

Sheriff

Kevin Torgerson