Sheriff's Office Newsletter - July 2022

July 2022 Newsletter (Volume 8, Issue 7)

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

Note from Sheriff Torgerson

I hope you’ve been able to get out and join us at some of this summer’s community festivals and events. We were certainly overdue for beautiful weather and gathering together again. If you’re looking for another opportunity to gather, you can sign up for your Night to Unite (aka National Night Out) Event at RochOlmstedUnite.com. This year’s event is scheduled for Tuesday, August 2, and registration is due by July 28. Deputies will visit as many neighborhood celebrations as possible along with other first responders.

As we move through the Summer please take time to slow down and enjoy all that truly matters. Slow down and spend time with your loved ones on those beautiful days; slow down and take the time to check on your elderly neighbors when we’re going through a heat wave and, I have to say it, please slow down on the roads. Toward Zero Deaths annual campaign has kicked off and you’ll see extra patrols trying to slow everyone down on the highways.

Have a great summer, everyone—be safe out there!

Booking, Court, and Staff Wellness Update

Captain Samantha Reps

Booking

Booking staff take on a lot of responsibility within the ADC; accepting new arrests, custodial searches, and ensuring that all new detainees have been screened for mental health and medical issues.

Booking has now adjusted back to pre-COVID operations. We are now accepting all levels of offenses, including new charges and warrants. We will have some staffing changes coming up, so there will be some new faces in booking.

Booking Stats (total bookings, number of new intakes):

2022 - 1441 (Males: 1087, Females:354) (Jan-May)

2021 - 2797 (Males: 2202, Females: 595)

2020 - 2649 (Males: 2067, Females:582)

Courts

Court staff are responsible for ensuring all detainees in the ADC attend their court hearings, from arraignment to sentencing, in a safe and secure environment, while ensuring proper court documentation is delivered to the people who need it. They are now adapting to a combination of both in-person hearings as well as Zoom hearings for scheduled courts; all arraignments are done via zoom. This adaptation allows us to accommodate out-of-county hearings and other situations as needed, maintaining continuity in court operations after COVID created a huge backlog of court cases.

Court Stats:

2022 - Jan-May total:1390 (arraignments 867/scheduled court 523) (Jan-May)

2021 - Total 2802 (1800 arraignments/1002 scheduled court)

2020 - Total 2725 (1683 arraignments/1042 scheduled court)

Gun Permits/Permit to Carry/Annual Checks

The Adult Detention Center’s front desk staff continues to process gun permits; permits to purchase, new & renewal permits to carry, as well as working on annual criminal background checks for all previously issued permits to carry.

Gun Permit Stats:

permits to carry | permits to purchase

2021 = 2093 | 2021 = 1366      

2020 = 1630 | 2020 = 2260

2022 = 573 (Jan-May) | 2022 = 468 (Jan-May)

Staff Wellness

Staff wellness is a priority in the Sheriff’s Office. Corrections and law enforcement in general
are both careers that place a huge amount of stress on those who choose this path. With the increased stress and scrutiny that staff has been placed under in recent times, wellness is more important than ever. Providing wellness initiatives and resources for staff can help improve staff quality of life, improve relationships, and provide better job satisfaction and performance. We have recently provided staff with the Cordico app. This app provides 24/7/365 solutions for proactive wellness, as well as tools that staff may use for a variety of issues that may come up over time. Issues such as compassion fatigue, how to deal with critical incidents, coping with depression, and knowing how to recognize the signs of PTSD are just a few of the things this new app touches on. The Cordico app doesn’t just touch on work life; it touches on all aspects of life, such as prepping for retirement, optimizing sleep, physical fitness, as well as resources for therapy, meditation, and improving one’s sleep. Also available through this app are direct links to peer support resources, chaplain support, and numerous self-assessments one may take to gauge whether to seek help or not. Help and support is available for all OCSO staff, at any time, through the resources available on the new Cordico wellness app.

Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics

On June 22, members of the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office joined several other law enforcement agencies to kick off the 2022 SE MN Law Enforcement Torch Run. Other agencies that helped with this initiative included the Rochester Flyers Special Olympics Team; Dakota, Goodhue and
Wabasha County Sheriff’s Offices; Hastings, Red Wing, Winona, Lake City, Zumbrota, Faribault and Rochester Police Departments; MCF – Red Wing and Faribault; FMC - Rochester; Olmsted County Attorney’s Office and Rochester Fire Department.  95 miles, 6 cities, 4 counties and 1,000 smiles, waves and thank you’s along the way.

Torch Run has grown over the years and now includes many fundraising platforms including Polar Plunges, Tip-A-Cops and more. Since the beginning, LETR has raised over $600 million for Special Olympics programs.

Battle of the Badges 2022

Battle of the Badges has brought in 151 donations so far this year! Please schedule your donation to help Team Law Enforcement by calling 507-284-4475. Follow Blood Donor Program—Mayo Clinic to learn more about the need and how you can help.

The challenge runs through August 31st—please join us!

Dates of Interest

July 1

Dover City Council Meeting

July 5

Elmira Township Meeting

High Forest Township Meeting

Olmsted County Board Meeting

July 7

Eyota City Council Meeting

Rochester Township Meeting

July 11

Chatfield City Council Meeting

Orion Township Meeting

Rock Dell Township Meeting

July 12

Byron City Council Meeting

Marion Township Meeting

New Haven Township Meeting

Stewartville City Council Meeting

July 14

Eyota City Council Meeting

Rochester Township Meeting

July 18

Eyota Township Meeting

Kalmar Township Meeting

Oronoco City Council Meeting

Rochester City Council Meeting

July 19

Farmington Township Meeting

Olmsted County Board Meeting

Pine Island City Council Meeting

July 20

Haverhill Township Meeting

July 25

Chatfield City Council Meeting

Viola Township Meeting

July 26

Byron City Council Meeting

Stewartville City Council Meeting

July 28

Dover Township Meeting

Eyota City Council Meeting

Olmsted County Fire Meeting

Olmsted County Township Association Meeting

Senior Administration 

Sheriff

Kevin Torgerson

Chief Deputy of Law Enforcement Center

Terry Waletzki

Captains

Mike Bromberg

Jon Jacobson

Tim Parkin

James Schueller

Chris Wallace

Executive Assistant

Laura Collins

Chief Deputy of Adult Detention Center

Brian Howard

Captains

David Adams

Samantha Reps

Macey Tesmer