Sheriff’s Office Newsletter - October 2021

October 2021 Newsletter (Volume 7, Issue 10)

To view each of the different stories in the newsletter, please click on the title below.

Minnesota Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics

Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office and Rochester Police Department participated in the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics on September 23rd. They kicked off the day bright and early in downtown Rochester and finished the day in Hastings.

The MN Torch Run final leg normally culminates at the Special Olympics Minnesota Summer Games in St. Paul each June. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the in-person Summer Games were canceled but the spirit of the Law Enforcement Torch Run lives on! Thanks to everyone who helped along the way.

For more information on the Torch Run, visit the Special Olympics Minnesota website.

Deputy Schmidt and K9 Axel at 2021 USPCA K9 National Field Trials

Sergeant Ryan Mangan

Deputy Schmidt and K9 Axel recently attended National Field Trials in Willmington, North Carolina.  This K9 team has been with the Sheriff’s Office since 2019 and you could say they have been working towards this opportunity since they started.  The team’s work ethic and proven success earned them the opportunity.  This certification is similar to the annual regional certification the K9 teams do, but it is more of a competition-style event with many of the best K9 teams from across the nation attending.  It is a great opportunity to not only obtain a national certification, but to gauge your success with fellow handlers from other areas of the country.  The event brings handler teams, judges, trainers and many others together. This is a great networking event to create/maintain professional relationships to help continue our K9 unit’s success, now and in the future. 

North Carolina was supposed to be a warm and sunny event along the Carolina Beach. The week started out with sunshine but then changed to significant rainfall during days 2, 3 & 4 of the events.  Despite the undesirable weather, Deputy Schmidt and K9 Axel had a respectable showing for their first time on the big stage of “Nationals”.  While achieving their national certification they had a perfect score for the suspect search and near-perfect score in criminal apprehension and agility and only lost a few points in obedience.  Deputy Schmidt and K9 Axel were part of a USPCA Region 18 team and the team’s combined score brought them home a 2nd Place Regional Team award. 

The top 6 dogs overall were from Minnesota, with the St Paul Police Department team bringing home the top team award. 

Congratulations to Deputy Schmidt and K9 Axel on this great achievement.

Institute for Credible Leadership (ICLD) Update

Corporal Andy Reinke and Corporal Rian Jones recently completed the Institute for Credible Leadership (ICLD) series. ICLD is a four-phase, online, leadership learning system offered through the Minnesota Sheriffs' Association.  The ICLD is a series of 46 college-level leadership development courses. There are four phases within ICLD, each consisting of lectures, discussions, and books to read amounting to 180 hours of learning. Congratulations, Andy and Rian!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Captain Tim Parkin

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office is joining agencies across the country to help raise awareness.

According to BreastCancer.org, 1-in-8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Throughout the month of October, all Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office squads will proudly display a decal featuring a pink ribbon to honor breast cancer survivors, those still fighting the disease, and those who lost their lives to breast cancer.

Monthly Snapshot: Fatalities on our Roads

Captain Chris Wallace

Fatalities in Olmsted County are in a slight trend downward from 2019 and the lowest they’ve been since 2016.  While our deputies will continue providing extra traffic enforcement, it’s up to all of us to be safe on the roads.

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.

October 1

Dover City Council Meeting

October 5

Elmira Township Meeting

High Forest Township Meeting

Olmsted County Board Meeting

October 7

Eyota City Council Meeting

Rochester Township Meeting

October 11

Chatfield City Council Meeting

Orion Township Meeting

Rock Dell Township Meeting

October 12

Byron City Council Meeting

Marion Township Meeting

New Haven Township Meeting

Stewartville City Council Meeting

October 14

Eyota City Council Meeting

Rochester Township Meeting

October 18

Eyota Township Meeting

Kalmar Township Meeting

Oronoco City Council Meeting

Rochester City Council Meeting

October 19

Farmington Township Meeting

Olmsted County Board Meeting

Pine Island City Council Meeting

October 20

Haverhill Township Meeting

October 25

Chatfield City Council Meeting

Viola Township Meeting

October 26

Byron City Council Meeting

Stewartville City Council Meeting

October 28

Dover Township Meeting

Eyota City Council Meeting

Olmsted County Fire Meeting

Olmsted County Township Association Meeting

Senior Administration