Why are you running for office?

I am running for office because I believe in continuing to build on the progress we have made at the Goodhue County Sheriff’s Office while keeping public safety, accountability, and service to our communities at the center of everything we do.

Over the past eight years, we have strengthened the Sheriff’s Office through increased staffing, expanded training, improved emergency response capabilities, stronger community engagement efforts, and investments in technology and accountability. We have also worked to support the people who serve our county by improving staffing flexibility, reducing forced overtime, expanding leadership development, and implementing programs focused on employee wellness.

I am proud of these accomplishments, but I also believe effective leadership requires continually looking ahead. Our communities’ needs change, and the Sheriff’s Office must be prepared to adapt while maintaining the high standards our residents expect.

I am running to continue that work: supporting our employees, strengthening partnerships with the communities we serve, preparing for future challenges, and ensuring Goodhue County has a professional, responsive, and accountable Sheriff’s Office.

What experiences have prepared you to serve effectively in this role?

I bring 38 years of law enforcement experience to this role, including 30 years with the Red Wing Police Department and eight years as Goodhue County Sheriff. I hold a bachelor’s degree in law enforcement from Mankato State University, with a minor in Psychology.

My career with RWPD included serving as a Patrolman, School Resource Officer/Investigator, and Patrol Sergeant.

For eight years, I also served as a medico-legal death investigator with the Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner's Office. This experience strengthened my investigative skills and required objective analysis, attention to evidence and detail, and collaboration with doctors, law enforcement, and families during difficult circumstances.

As Sheriff, I led an agency that has grown through contract cities while strengthening patrol, the Adult Detention Center, dispatch, investigations, and emergency management. I have strengthened accountability and professionalism through body-worn cameras, expanded training, improved oversight, and strong performance during Minnesota POST Board audits.

We have expanded community engagement, school programs, emergency response capabilities, and partnerships with local governments and public safety agencies.

My frontline, investigative, and county-level leadership experience has prepared me to understand both the daily realities of law enforcement and the broader responsibilities of a Sheriff. I believe my experience, leadership, and commitment to accountability, professionalism, and service have prepared me to continue effectively serving the people of Goodhue County.

What are your top three priorities if elected?

My top three priorities are:

1. Maintain a professional, well-trained, and properly staffed Sheriff’s Office.

Public safety starts with having the right people, training, and resources in place. I will continue working to maintain strong staffing levels, provide ongoing training and leadership development, support employee wellness, and use staffing resources efficiently. A well-supported workforce is better prepared to respond to emergencies and serve our communities.

2. Strengthen public safety and emergency response.

I will continue improving our ability to respond effectively to the needs of Goodhue County. This includes maintaining strong patrol and investigative services, supporting our Emergency Response Team, Our Dive Team, Emergency Management, dispatch operations, and continuing to use technology such as our drone program to enhance public safety. I will also continue strengthening partnerships with fire, EMS, schools, local governments, and other public safety agencies.

3. Build strong relationships with the communities we serve.

Effective law enforcement depends on trust and communication. I will continue making community engagement a priority for the entire Sheriff’s Office, rather than relying on a single position. Continue to maintain communication with local officials and community members, and ensure the Sheriff’s Office remains accessible and responsive to the people of Goodhue County.

My goal is to continue building on the progress of the past eight years while preparing the Sheriff’s Office to meet the needs and challenges of the future.

How do plan to address your top priorities?

I plan to address these priorities by continuing the approach that has strengthened the Goodhue County Sheriff’s Office over the past eight years: invest in our people, use resources responsibly, work collaboratively, and improve.

To maintain a professional, well-trained, and properly staffed Sheriff’s Office, I will continue evaluating staffing needs and using resources efficiently. We have established flex positions and backfill procedures to improve coverage, reduce overtime, and limit forced shifts. I will continue supporting training, leadership development, succession planning, and employee wellness through Neck Up Checkup, our Chaplain, staff-driven mentorship, and Peer Support programs.

I will continue supporting patrol, investigations, detention, dispatch, and emergency management operations; our regional Emergency Response Team; and technology such as our drone program. I will also strengthen coordination with fire departments, EMS, schools, local governments, and other public safety partners.

To build strong community relationships, I will make community engagement an agency-wide responsibility by maintaining involvement with city and township meetings, schools, and community programs. I will continue seeking opportunities to educate the public, build partnerships, and ensure the Sheriff’s Office remains accessible and responsive.

Above all, I will lead with accountability and professional service. My 38 years in law enforcement, including 30 years with the Red Wing Police Department and eight years as your Sheriff, have taught me that effective public safety requires listening to the community, supporting employees, and continually improving.

What do you believe is the greatest challenge facing the people you hope to represent?

I believe one of the greatest challenges facing the people of Goodhue County is ensuring that we continue to have effective, responsive public safety services as the needs of our communities evolve.

Law enforcement today requires more than simply responding when something goes wrong. It requires adequate staffing, ongoing training, strong emergency response capabilities, effective communication, community partnerships, and the ability to adapt to new challenges and technologies. At the same time, we must make sure the people who provide these services are supported and able to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

During my eight years as Sheriff, we have worked to address these challenges by creating greater staffing flexibility, expanding training and leadership development, strengthening emergency response capabilities, and making community engagement an agency-wide responsibility.

I believe the challenge going forward is to maintain that progress while continuing to prepare for the future. We cannot assume that what worked yesterday will always be enough tomorrow. We need to listen to our communities, evaluate our operations, use taxpayer resources responsibly, and make thoughtful investments in our people and public safety capabilities.

My 38 years in law enforcement have taught me that good public safety is built on preparation, professionalism, accountability, and trust. My goal is to continue providing the people of Goodhue County with a Sheriff’s Office that is prepared to meet their needs today while planning responsibly for the challenges of tomorrow.

Public service requires collaboration. How would you work with individuals who hold different viewpoints?

Public service requires the ability to listen, communicate, and work with people who have different perspectives. I believe disagreement is not a barrier to effective leadership; it is an opportunity to understand different viewpoints and find the best path forward.

The Office of Sheriff is non-partisan, and I believe it is important to keep it that way. The Sheriff’s responsibility is to serve all of Goodhue County fairly, professionally, and equally, regardless of political affiliation or viewpoint.

As Goodhue County Sheriff, I work with elected officials and community leaders across the county. In addition to providing law enforcement services to five municipalities, the Sheriff’s Office works with five city councils, 21 township boards, two school boards, and the Goodhue County Board of Commissioners. Each community and governing body has different priorities, concerns, and expectations.

My approach is to listen first, communicate openly, and treat everyone with respect. When differences arise, I focus on the facts, community needs, and our shared responsibility to provide safe and effective public services.

I don't expect everyone to agree with every decision. Effective leadership means hearing criticism, considering other ideas, explaining your position, and finding common ground when appropriate. My goal is to work collaboratively and professionally with everyone, regardless of viewpoint, because we share the same responsibility: serving the people of Goodhue County.

How will you communicate with and remain accessible to your constituents?

I believe communication and accessibility are essential responsibilities of the Sheriff. The people of Goodhue County should know how to reach their Sheriff’s Office, have opportunities to ask questions and share concerns, and feel that their voices are being heard.

I will continue using a variety of ways to communicate with constituents, including social media, office visits, community engagement events, and regular interaction with local officials and community organizations. Social media provides an effective way to share information, public safety updates, and community news with a broad audience, while in-person conversations provide an opportunity to listen and have meaningful discussions.

I also believe that being present in our communities is important. Through community engagement events, school programs and attendance at city and township meetings, the Sheriff’s Office can build relationships before people need to call us for assistance.

As Sheriff, I will remain accessible to the people we serve and encourage them to reach out with questions, concerns, or ideas. Communication should be a two-way process. My responsibility is not only to communicate with the community, but also to listen to it.

Because the Office of Sheriff is a non-partisan office, I believe accessibility should extend to everyone. Regardless of where someone lives in Goodhue County or what their political views may be, they should expect to be treated with respect and have access to their Sheriff’s Office.

At the end of your term, what accomplishments would define success?

When I took office as Sheriff, I set a simple goal: to leave the Sheriff’s Office better than I found it. The office had dedicated employees and a strong foundation, but circumstances and community needs changed, requiring us to rethink how we do our jobs.

At the end of my term, I would define success by knowing we continued moving the office forward and prepared it for the future. That means maintaining strong staffing, providing employees with the training and support they need, improving emergency response capabilities, and maintaining high standards of professionalism and accountability.

I would also measure success by the strength of our relationships with the communities we serve. A successful Sheriff’s Office should be trusted, accessible, and engaged with residents, local governments, schools, and public safety partners.

Over the past eight years, we have faced challenges that required us to adapt. We added the City of Goodhue to our patrol duties after its Police Department disbanded, expanded training and leadership development, improved staffing flexibility, implemented body-worn cameras, strengthened emergency response, expanded community engagement, and developed new ways for our divisions to work together.

I believe the Goodhue County Sheriff’s Office is in a better place today because of the challenges we have faced and how we responded. If I am fortunate enough to continue serving as Sheriff, my definition of success will remain the same: to leave this office better than I found it while ensuring it is prepared to serve Goodhue County for the future.

Tell voters something about yourself outside of politics.

Outside of politics and law enforcement, I’m a wannabe farmer, a husband, a dad, and, most importantly, a grandpa.

In 1992, my father and I started K&K Highlands of Hay Creek with 30 Scottish Highland cattle and about 40 ewes. After a barn fire, the farm evolved into what it is today. We now have about 25 cows of different breeds, along with a few sheep, chickens, turkeys, and a couple of horses. After my father passed away in 2023, I made a promise that we would always have at least one Scottish Highland cow on the farm. We still have two.

I’m one of 10 children, so family has always been an important part of my life. I like to keep busy and enjoy the simple things like taking Side by Side rides around the county with my wife, Mary, and our dog, Buckley; sitting around a good bonfire; and singing around the table, or really, just about anywhere.

One of my favorite things is having my children and grandchildren over for Sunday family dinner. I especially love being a grandpa. Those family gatherings and the time we spend together are some of the things I value most.

I feel fortunate to have spent my life serving the community, raising a family, working the farm, and enjoying the people and places that make Goodhue County special. At the end of the day, I’m simply a guy who likes to stay busy, loves his family, enjoys the outdoors, and feels very blessed.