Sheriff's Office 2025 Annual Report

Sheriff's Office 2025 Annual Report

To view each section in the annual report, please click on the title below.

Note from Sheriff Torgerson

Welcome to our 2025 Annual Report. This past year saw our office continue to evolve in fast-moving and sometimes unpredictable times. 

On the cover page of this report, you see an inset photo of our new and current patch worn by our uniformed deputies and on the opposite page a description of each component of the new patch. The patch symbolizes our county and its history. The change was made after legislative changes were made to the great seal of the State of Minnesota in May of 2024. Our patch was last changed in 1991. Learn more about the details of the new patch.

Both the ADC and LEC sides of our Office have dedicated personnel who oversee and implement all the training that our deputies and staff need on an annual basis to meet the requirements of our profession. The addition of the training center building at the Public Safety Training Center allowed the amount and frequency of training opportunities to increase. Without question, the need for training is key to our success in public safety and community trust.  The facility features components that ten years ago could only be found in our dreams or if you traveled far enough to other agencies, mostly in the metro area or other states. Dedicated classrooms, fitness and mat rooms and office space created the ability for training staff to bring quality training to Olmsted County at less cost because the building, travel, and per diem expenses are no longer a factor.  

I hope you enjoy this annual report. And as always, if you have questions, reach out and continue to watch us on all the social media platforms. Be safe and well, everyone.

Our Mission and Who We Are

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 171,783 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 eight cities, for a total area of 653 square miles.

The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) consists of 197 dedicated employees led by Sheriff Kevin Torgerson. OCSO is divided into the Law Enforcement Center (LEC) and the Adult Detention Center (ADC). Approximately 100 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.

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.

* The data published in this report were tabulated in January 2026. Statistical information may change based on reclassification of data over time.

Law Enforcement Center (LEC)

The Law Enforcement Center (LEC) side of the Sheriff's Office consists of 82 licensed deputies and 15 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 including the 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 the K9 Team, 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.

Civil and Warrants

The Civil and Warrants Division is a combined unit in the Sheriff’s Office that is 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 3,616 civil papers in 2025.  Some of the high number of paper service types include Subpoenas (900), Summons and Complaints (562), Commitment/Revocations (223), Child Support (356), Order for Protection (203) and Harassment Restraining Orders (240).  The remaining civil paper numbers are spread over 34 additional types.

Government Center Security

The Government Center Security Division provides security for the Olmsted County Government Center. The Division is made up of 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 2025, weapon screening deputies screened approximately 57,937 individuals compared to 63,910 in 2024. They also screened 61,515 bin/bags and seized 218 items. Pictured is a sample of weapons seized at the 2nd floor Security Screening station in 2025. 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, courtrooms and offices makes it a safer place for everyone.

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 around 100 vehicles, including snowmobiles, boats, and OHVs (Rangers) that are equipped for year-round utilization. Our mechanics work diligently to upfit new squad cars to keep our fleet up to date.  We have many new vehicles to be upfitted into squads, including two new transport vans.  We are still catching up from the vehicle shortages due to supply chain issues.  We should be fully caught up with receiving vehicles, getting them upfitted to fully functioning squad cars, and back to regular vehicle cycles sometime next year. 

Move to AXON Technology: Axon BWCs and Fleet cameras are now fully implemented and being utilized by staff.  Soon, we will be working to take advantage of the technology capabilities of the new Axon equipment to aid in effective and efficient public safety work.

K9 Unit: The K9 unit is fully functional with 6 dual-purpose K9s trained in patrol and either narcotic or explosive detection.  We currently have a single-purpose narcotic detection K9 assigned to the ADC.  Stay tuned for news about 2 additions to our K9 unit in the coming months.

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.

Investigation Case Numbers

	2023	2024	2025
Cases Assigned for Follow-Up/Closed Out	196	187	237
Cases Assigned to Patrol	447	475	365
Cases Assigned to Investigations	193	220	217
Total Cases Assigned	640	695	582
Total Cases Referred	515	559	441

Southeast Minnesota Violent Crimes Enforcement Team

SEMVCET is a multijurisdictional narcotic and violent crime investigation unit comprised of law enforcement investigators from 8 counties and 6 cities in Southeast Minnesota.  The region benefits from this unit as personnel and resources are shared to conduct investigations that are often labor intensive and require advanced investigative techniques. During 2025, Investigators from SEMVCET conducted 338 investigations and obtained 305 search warrants for their investigations.

Transport

The Transport Division provides transportation services to individuals in custody on court orders, arrest warrants, or established legal authority.

Just How Many Transports?

	2023	2024	2025
Organization	Trips - Miles - Hours	Trips - Miles - Hours	Trips - Miles - Hours
ADC Medical Trips	100 - 256 - 178	105 - 413 - 212	71 - 158 - 115
City Writs	2 - 474 - 17	0 - 0 - 0	0 - 0 - 0
County Attorney Writs	85 - 14803 - 451	101 - 17434 - 619	106 - 16283 - 513
Detainees Housed Offsite	3 - 186 - 10	0 - 0 - 0	0 - 0 - 0
District Court Commitments	45 - 9071 - 302	53 - 10473 - 619	54 - 12647 - 446
Extraditions	18 - 7404 - 267	16 - 4140 - 120	24 - 7185 - 235
JDC Transports	3 - 500 - 21	18 - 2762 - 99	13 - 2059 - 60
NW Shuttle	21 - 2362 - 72	15 - 2707 - 81	11 - 2986 - 80
S.O. Warrants/Apps	171 - 24193 - 686	227 - 28776 - 899	195 - 24750 - 691
Social Services	28 - 4779 - 164	26 - 4311 - 155	37 - 6885 - 249
Total	476 - 64028 - 2168	561 - 71016 - 2541	511 - 72953 - 2389

Staff Training and Emergency Management (STEM) Division

The STEM Division is responsible for initial training of new hires, continuing education for all full-time licensed staff (83), and meeting all Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board education requirements for all staff. This division also coordinates our crime prevention and community engagement efforts, recreational safety and enforcement programs (boat, ATV, and snowmobile), Sheriff’s Office Dive Team and extra-duty assignments. In addition, this division is also responsible for member contracts for use of the Regional Public Safety Training Center and coordinating events at the Sheriff’s Office Public Safety Training Center, bringing in professional training, exercises, and speakers from all over the country.

Emergency Management staff in this division are charged with planning, training, and exercising for man-made and natural disasters. This includes continuous maintenance and updating our County’s Emergency Operations, Hazard Mitigation, and Continuity of Operations plans. Emergency Management staff assist all 8 communities in Olmsted County with their emergency management efforts and provide mutual aid assistance to 15 other Southeastern Minnesota counties. Emergency Management also coordinates the countywide Storm Spotter program with the National Weather Service. We also maintain and operate the 99 outdoor warning sirens utilized to warn the public during severe weather and other emergencies throughout Olmsted County.

How much training do Sheriff’s Office Deputies complete?

	2023	2024	2025
Total Deputy Hours of Training	9886	9077	9000
Percentage of Deputies CIT Certified	81%	83%	91%

As you can see, our office invested about the same time in training our staff in 2025 as we did in 2024. With a decline for a second year in a row of training time spent on Minnesota Sheriff’s Association Institute for Credible Leadership (ICLD) in 2025, other hours of training increased, particularly with our use of force training. With a transition to Axon’s most advanced Taser came the responsibility of making sure our staff were highly efficient in its use. This was accomplished through many hours of hands-on, virtual reality, and scenario-based training sessions. We also hired five (5) new Deputies (3 in 2024), which accounted for more training hours during our in-house academy. On average, each of our staff recorded 109 hours of training for 2025. We continue to strive for 100% of our licensed deputies being certified in Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) and currently sit at 91%; an 8% increase (7 more deputies receiving their CIT certification) in 2025.

How often does Olmsted County’s Emergency Operation Center (EOC) get utilized?

Emergency Management activated the EOC on twelve (12) occasions in 2025. Six (6) of those activations were for severe weather events impacting Olmsted County. One (1) activation was for a critical incident. One (1) activation was for a pre-planned large community event that lasted one week; the Olmsted County Fair. Four (4) activations were for pre-planned exercises; Active Shooter table-top exercise, Family Assistance Center table-top exercise, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency table-top exercise, and a multi-day National Transportation Safety Board mass-casualty and family assistance center workshop. Emergency Management staff from both Olmsted County and City of Rochester, Olmsted County Public Health, American Red Cross, Chaplains, Salvation Army, Mayo Clinic, Olmsted Medical Center, Southern Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner’s Office, Olmsted County Department Heads and other staff participated in each of these exercises. Over the course of 2025, Emergency Management staff either directed or participated in nine (9) exercises or workshops. Planning and participating in exercises and workshops help Olmsted County staff stay prepared and ready to respond to, and recover from, disasters that could affect Olmsted County.

	2023	2024	2025
EOC Activations	11	16	12

Sheriff's Office Use of Force Statistics

Sheriff’s Office staff responded to 33,779 calls for service in 2025 (36,975 in 2024). Occasionally, our staff must display or use force to effect an arrest for public safety. Our staff are required by policy to report any display of or use of force in any given incident. Use of force is defined under Minnesota Statute as the reasonable display and/or use of a weapon system or use of physical force to affect an arrest of a person. Less lethal platforms such as a Taser®, Pepperball®, chemical agents, or other projectiles that are less than lethal, and our firearms, are all considered weapon systems.

Our staff reported the display of or use of force during sixty-three (63) of those 33,779 calls for service, or 0.18% of all calls for service. Of those 63 incidents where force was displayed or used:

• 39 incidents involved the display of a weapon system(s)
• 20 of those included the actual use of approved body control (19) or striking (1) techniques
• 4 incidents resulted in the actual use of a weapon system, and all four incidents involved the use of our Pepperball® weapon system

In summary, there were only 24 incidents in 2025 that resulted in the actual use of force by our Deputies, or 0.07% of all calls for service. Although the number of incidents where use of force was reported increased in 2025 (63 as opposed to 50 in 2024), the number of incidents force was actually used decreased by 10 (24 incidents where force was used in 2025 as opposed to 34 in 2024). We attribute the increase of use of force incidents to an increase in dealing with suspects involved with crimes of violence. Furthermore, we attribute the decrease in the actual use of force with our continued commitment in delivering research-based, science-backed, and high-quality training in addition to mitigating officer safety risks using multiple-Deputy engagements during our calls for service.

	2022	2023	2024
Use of Force Incidents	56	41	50

Adult Detention Center (ADC)

The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for the detention of adult prisoners, including pre-sentenced, sentenced, boarders, court security (as regulated and required by the MN Department of Corrections and the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act standards) as well as work release (as mandated by MN State Statute). The ADC has three primary divisions: Support Services, Administrative Services 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 and Detainee Visits

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). For 2023, 2024 and 2025 numbers are below:

Administrative Services

The Administrative Services Division is responsible for planning, directing, and coordinating support services for the Sheriff's Office to ensure effective operations. 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.

	2023	2024	2025
Permits to Purchase	1116	1147	1006
Permits to Carry	972	956	871
Permits to Carry - Renewal	587	428	505

ADC Programming

OCSO encourages detainees to further their education while in the ADC if they desire. In 2025, 288 detainees took advantage of approximately 1011 hours of education. Further, four received GED diplomas. Detainees are also offered other times in the gym for physical activity and many other programs.

	2023	2024	2025
Library	923	2048	2230
Programs	2260	4287	6545
Gym	3127	7122	8785

Children of Incarcerated Parents

• 135 females who were booked reported being a parent of a child under 18
• 428 males booked reported being a parent of a child under 18
• 926 reported number of children possibly affected by having a parent incarcerated
• 259 children, of the 563 parents incarcerated, lived with their child/children

Support Services

The Support Services Division is responsible for staff training, work release, sentenced-to-service, and drug court. Staff training includes training of new hires, existing staff and contract employees, policy review, and compliance. Programming includes work release, sentence-to-service for detainees, and drug court. It also provides programming for the detainees and works with civilian volunteers.

Work Release

Work Release averaged a daily population of 16.71 in 2025 compared to 10.91 in 2024. See more work release info below.

	2023	2024	2025
Males Booked	106	98	107
Females Booked	17	19	21
Males Released	132	119	166
Females Released	21	21	32

Giving Back

A total of 13,800 hours of detainee Sentence to Service (STS) hours were provided in 2025. Some STS projects in 2025 included:

• Rochester Fest and Field of Flags
• Lions Club - setting flags for each holiday for veterans
• DAV Hunt at Chester Woods
• Zoo Dazzle
• Christmas Anonymous
• Olmsted County Fair
• Local Town events - Gopher Count, Stewartville 4th of July, Oronoco Gold Rush
• Assisting Oxbow Park in the building of new campground site.
• Law Enforcement Memorial – landscaping , lawncare, planting and maintaining
• Spring and fall cleanup for local cemeteries
• Wood processing at County Parks for upcoming camping seasons.
• Snow removal at Soldiers Field and Oxbow Zoo
• Tree trimming at County Parks
• Polar Plunge set and tear down
• Set up and tear down three hockey arenas at Graham Arena: every fall and spring.
• Lawn Care at Government Center and Oxbow Zoo
• Olmsted County Parks maintenance work: invasive species, mulching, concrete work, etc.

	2023	2024	2025
Detainee Hours Worked	10,048	10,104	13,800

Drug Court Program

In 2025, there were approximately 20 participants in the Drug Court Program. In addition, there were nine graduates and four terminations from the program.

Public Fingerprints

Our Work Release staff have conducted 1,527 public fingerprinting appointments by appointment at various hours during the day, evenings, and weekends.

Training

The ADC hired 23 new deputies in 2025, up from 12 in 2024. Preparing one new deputy on shift requires 750 hours of training time from dedicated staff. Additionally, trainees receive 255 hours of academy time before going to shift. Additionally, three staff members received promotions due to retirements.

	2023	2024	2025
Staff Training Hours	3910	8109	13116

Court

The ADC Court staff provide security for the detainees that are in custody and need to attend court. They work with other stakeholders to get detainees through the court process while they are in custody.

	2023	2024	2025
Sentenced or Held in Custody	284	311	313
Bail	446	492	554
Released on Own Recognizance	1453	1458	1309
Out of County	401	328	275
In Person	860	1264	1015
Zoom Hearing	387	177	428
Scheduled Court	1247	1441	1528
Arraignments	2183	2261	2198

Recruitment Efforts

Both the Law Enforcement and Detention Services divisions of the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office continued robust recruitment efforts within and beyond our local community. In 2025, recruitment teams attended multiple career fairs to promote the Office’s values and showcase the opportunities we offer. These efforts focused on colleges, high schools, State Police Explorer programs, and other vocational venues that attract individuals interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement. We continue to explore new strategies to expand our recruitment reach and are proud to fill these positions with dedicated professionals committed to delivering excellent service to our county.

Community Engagement

Serving and protecting the citizens of Olmsted County is our #1 priority, and a piece of that puzzle includes community engagement. Throughout 2025, 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. You'll find more photos from our office at other community events on pages 15-22.

The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office has introduced a new lateral position, our first-ever Community Engagement Deputy. Former Byron School Resource Deputy, Nate Jacobson, has taken on the new role, which was created to expand on our already robust community engagement efforts throughout Olmsted County. Our office's community engagement efforts extend far beyond one person and are an office-wide effort, but having one person focus on participating and helping organize those efforts has made a significant difference. Follow us on social media to keep up with the events we take part in throughout the year.