March 2026 Newsletter (Volume 12, Issue 3)
March 2026 Newsletter (Volume 12, Issue 3)
Headlines are provided below. Click to read each story in the newsletter.
Note from Sheriff Torgerson
With the beginning of March and Spring right around the corner, optimism abounds with promise. And the promise of the future and support of our community is seen in this newsletter with the results from the most recent Polar Plunge and the hope that we can help our community and all who read this to minimize the threat of scams in our world. Like many things, including our traffic enforcement efforts to lower the deaths on our roads statewide to zero, our hope and our goal is the same: to stamp out scams! Please share this newsletter and/or at the very least share the information with all who are most vulnerable to scams and always be wary yourselves.
SE Minnesota and Olmsted County again came out in force with smaller numbers this year, but the impact remains the same because of the 25th Annual Polar Plunge for Special Olympics. With Sixteen sports, 400 athletes on the local team and a need for over 80 volunteer coaches, the team is thriving giving people in our community formerly kept in the shadows out into the arenas, courts, fields and on the turf to celebrate their abilities and not dwell on their disabilities. THANK YOU to all who plunged, pledged, and volunteered. We’ll see you next year on the second Saturday of February which is February 13, 2027!
Scammers are out there
Captain Tim Parkin
While February 10 is considered National Safer Internet Day, every day requires heightened awareness when online. Did you win money, but need to send iTunes gift cards to cover the transfer? Did your computer get a virus, and does fixing it require sending Bitcoin somewhere? Did you receive a call that you missed court and must pay a fine over the phone? These probably sound familiar to many, but scams ranging from phone calls to emails and fake websites continue to be an issue, costing victims time and money to recover.
There are several ways to take precautions against scammers. First is identifying red flags. Some common warning signs include someone calling you to demand money over the phone, which is not a normal practice for the business the caller claims to represent, and demanding payment with gift cards, cryptocurrency, or non-secured credit card payments. High-pressure tactics demanding immediate action, such as insisting on staying on the line with you while you make a transaction and refusing to let you hang up or talk to anyone else are another example. Promises of free money or the need to send money first to claim a prize are also red flags.
There are strategies that you can take to safeguard yourself. Verify the source. Contact the organization directly via its official website or by phone to inquire about the activity. Do not give out your Social Security number, account number, or other personal identifying information. Remember: an official organization you already have an account with already has your information. Don’t be ashamed to talk to law enforcement about someone trying to scam you; Often, they can give you recommendations on steps to protect yourself from further scams. Also know that some, especially elderly victims, do not want to talk about being scammed as they fear losing their independence. So, if you suspect that someone you know is a victim of a scam, ask them with empathy so the process does not revictimize them. It may take time to learn the full scope of what happened, but until you ask, you may not know.
Examples of Scams in Olmsted County:
Victim scammed out of $21,000 by a caller who claimed to be with McAfee Antivirus Company—convinced the victim to go to the bank and complete a wire transfer. The victim did so, then realized they were being scammed.
The victim reported being scammed out of $62,000 in a Bitcoin scam. The victim received a call from a person claiming to offer them a job. They told the victim they would first need to invest in the business by creating a WhatsApp account, then depositing money via Bitcoin. The victim did this for a while before realizing it was a scam.
The victim stated that a door-to-door salesperson said they were having a sale on sealcoating driveways and offered to do it for $79.00. The victim agreed. 2 hours later, the suspect claimed they were finished, used 86 gallons of sealant at $79 a gallon, and demanded that the victim pay $6,794 for the work. The suspect then stated they would offer a senior discount and reduced the price to $5,000, and the victim paid. The victim later learned that their driveway would require only about 6 gallons and that the average cost for this project would be around $550.00.
Did you know? Scams caused over $12.5 billion in reported losses in 2024 across the U.S.
Learn more about how roughly three-quarters of Americans have experienced an online scam or attack
Polar Plunge 2026!
February 14, 2026 was the 25th annual LETR Polar Plunge for Special Olympics. The Sheriff's Office team, led by team captain Sergeant Mark Chambers, jumped on Friday night, along with several super plungers, making their jumps. Super plungers complete 24 jumps in 24 hours, and each super plunger must raise $3,000 to have the honor of jumping in that cold water repeatedly.
This year, we had 850 plungers who have raised $271,923 to date. That is on average $319.87 per plunger. Special Olympics Minnesota has stated they expect our total to get very close to the original goal of $290,000 once the matching money and other checks are counted. This was a very successful year. This will bring our total in 25 years to 16,898 plungers who have raised $4,784,150!! An average of $191,366 per year and $283.11 per plunger over 25 years. Next year we should go over $5 million!
Sheriff Torgerson brought the plunge to Rochester in 2001 with his friend, RPD Lieutenant KC Reed. Their first year, the temp was above 40 degrees - they're pictured above with the original Plunger Village MASH sign. Sheriff Torgerson also plunges and helps at other plunges across the state each year.
Thank you to our dedicated deputies, dive team members, volunteers, and all of our plungers who make this event possible each year!
Monthly Snapshot - 2025 Snapshot of Scams reported to OCSO
What was the estimated loss due to scams in 2025 reported to OCSO? Over $1.5 million.
Platforms Used to Commit Scams:
- Amazon
- Autotrader
- Cash apps
- Checks
- Computer pop ups
- Craigslist
- Discord
- Expedia
- Phone calls
Scam Types used in 2025:
- Fraudulent checks
- Text
- Go2 Cash Apps
- Vehicles
- Bank transfers
- Fraud
- Driveway work
- Selling animals
- Threatening
- Impersonation
- IT issues
- Wire money
- Bitcoin
- Gift cards
- Advertisement
- Dating
- Concert tickets
Helpful resources to learn more about scams
Dates of Interest
March 2, 2026
Oronoco Township Meeting
Pleasant Grove Township Meeting
Rochester City Council Meeting
March 3, 2026
Elmira Township Meeting
High Forest Township Meeting
Olmsted County Board Meeting
March 4, 2026
Salem Township Meeting
March 5, 2026
Dover City Council Meeting
Quincy Township Meeting
Tip a Cop
March 9, 2026
Cascade Township Meeting
Chatfield City Council Meeting
Orion Township Meeting
Rock Dell Township Meeting
March 10, 2026
Byron City Council Meeting
Marion Township Meeting
New Haven Township Meeting
Stewartville City Council Meeting
March 12, 2026
Eyota City Council Meeting
Rochester Township Meeting
March 16, 2026
Eyota Township Meeting
Kalmar Township Meeting
Oronoco City Council Meeting
Rochester City Council Meeting
March 17, 2026
Farmington Township Meeting
Olmsted County Board Meeting
Pine Island City Council Meeting
March 18, 2026
Haverhill Township Meeting
March 23, 2026
Chatfield City Council Meeting
Viola Township Meeting
March 24, 2026
Stewartville City Council Meeting
March 26, 2026
Eyota City Council Meeting
Olmsted County Fire Meeting
Olmsted County Township Association Meeting
March 30, 2026
Dover Township Meeting
Senior Administration
Sheriff
Kevin Torgerson
Director - ADC
Samantha Reps
Captains
David Adams
Andy Danielson
Macey Tesmer
Chief Deputy - LEC
James Schueller
Captains
Jon Jacobson
Kelly Lee
Ryan Mangan
Tim Parkin
Chris Wallace
Executive Assistant
Laura Collins