Home > Sheriff

Patrol

The Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division provides law enforcement service to eight cities and townships in northern Anoka County:

• Andover
• Nowthen
• Columbus
• East Bethel
• Ham Lake
• Linwood Township
• Oak Grove
• Bethel

The primary job of the patrol deputy is to respond to citizen requests for service for events such as accidents, domestics and neighborhood disputes and traffic complaints. Deputies also initiate investigative activity into all crimes occurring within the patrol area. The Patrol Division is responsible for traffic enforcement on the roadways in its patrol area. The Division also provides K-9 services and has officers working in local schools as resource officers.

Community policing is the driving philosophy of the Patrol Division. The community is invited to partner with law enforcement to identify problems, develop responses and evaluate programs. The Sheriff’s Office promotes this practice with patrol sub-stations and staff liaisons in the community.

The Patrol Division also provides the following specialized services:

 

Crime Prevention/Public Affairs

The Sheriff’s Office Crime Prevention program includes many activities that encourage citizen involvement, including:

• Neighborhood Crime Watch programs
• Business watch
• Night to Unite
• Safety Camps for kids and seniors
• Seat belt safety for teenagers
• Child safety seat inspections

Contact Laura Landes, 763-767-4664.

 

Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT Team)

Established in 1980, the Sheriff’s Office provides a highly trained tactical response team that is equipped with specialized equipment and firearms, as well as enhanced skills and tactics.  The team is available to any law enforcement agency that has an incident which requires a tactical response beyond that which can be provided by patrol personnel.

In addition to monthly training, the team attends the Minnesota Tactical Officers Association Training Conference at Camp Ripley each September.  The training conference consists of scenario-based and firearms training with many other tactical teams from the metro area.

The S.W.A.T. team consists of 24 members, which includes 18 tactical operators, 4 tactical paramedics, and 2 negotiators.  The team is most frequently used for high risk search warrants, often assisting the Anoka Hennepin Drug Task Force, and for barricaded subjects.  Team members and the team itself have received numerous commendations for their past performance.

Recreational Enforcement Unit

The Sheriff’s Office is responsible for enforcement of state statutes regulating watercraft and other recreational vehicles. The Recreational Enforcement Unit uses a combination of full-time, part-time and Special Deputies for this program. Officers patrol the county’s waterways and snowmobile trails enforcing state, county and local ordinances.

2011 Operation Report for the Snowmobile Safety Enforcement Grant

2011 Operation Report for the Off Highway Vehicle Safety Enforcement Grant

2010 - 2011 State Boat & Water Safety Grant to Counties

Special Deputy Unit

The Sheriff’s Office Special Deputy Unit is an all volunteer group. The unit is authorized to support up to 45 positions. Members are used as part of the recreational vehicle enforcement program and assist the licensed officers with traffic control at accident scenes, vehicle lockouts, and security at special events including the Anoka County Fair and other local community events. Contact Sergeant Dave Wiley, 763-754-4529.

 

Dive Team

 In the 1960’s, the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office created a Dive Team to respond to water related incidents and emergencies. Some of the incidents they specialize in are swift water rescues, floods, drowning, evidence recovery and search and rescue. Anoka County has both the Rum and Mississippi Rivers running though it, as well as 165 lakes ranging in size from one acre to 1,481 acres. All lakes and rivers in Anoka County are the responsibility of the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office. The Team is comprised of 20 members; members have advanced diving certificates and train monthly, including under ice dives in winter months.

The Anoka County Dive Team was the first agency in the water responding at the I35W Bridge collapse, and one of only a few Dive Teams that searched the large scale water disaster site searching for victims. The Anoka County Dive team is also part of the National Incident Management System which is a joint Federal program allocating assets to neighboring counties and states in times of natural disasters which allows the Anoka County Dive Team to assist anywhere in the Midwest region.

 

 

Explorers- Post #444 sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America

Young adults, age 14-20, with an interest in law enforcement are permitted to work with real officers through this program. Explorers attend monthly meetings and receive training in actual police practices including; traffic stops, search and arrest techniques, domestic crisis intervention, crime scene searches, accident investigation, First Aid, and traffic control. Each spring the team participates in a statewide competition with other Explorer posts. Contact Sergeant Brent Erickson, 763-754-4668.

 

Crime Victims Assistance Program

The patrol division has a Victim Services Coordinator. This position is responsible for providing information on cases and resources available to assist victims. See Help for victims of crime on this website.