MY VALUES AS A SHERIFF – HOW I DO BUSINESS

COMMITMENT.  I am dedicated and committed to Winona County and our citizens. Other than the 2 years in which I lived in Caledonia, Minnesota working as a young patrol officer, I have spent my entire life living in Winona County.  The people of Winona County are my neighbors, my friends, and my family.  The last 14 years of my 22-year law enforcement career has been in service to Winona County and our citizens in the Winona County Sheriff’s Department.  Commitment means for me as the sheriff to strive to assist in the well-being of all Winona County citizens and employees of the sheriff’s department, to communicate good and bad news effectively and with compassion, create a setting which fosters creativity and encourages new ideas, and maintain an environment with mutual respect for all people.

TRANSPARENCY. I am open, honest, and accountable.  My ability to be transparent invites trust, respect, and shows the public that there is nothing being hidden from them.  As your next sheriff, I will instill the value of transparency throughout the department and will have it be the focal point for the way we deliver service.  It is important that people can come to us and receive straight forward answers to the questions they have.  While they may not always receive good news or the outcomes they desired, the answers they receive will be correct and given with compassion and respect.

LEADERSHIP.  Law enforcement is often a difficult and demanding job.  To be an effective leader, one needs to be able to inspire trust, be able to connect with employees, and encourage, motivate, and inspire individuals to give back to those we serve.  I provide leadership by being an active listener, paying attention to detail, providing direction, and having the ability to evolve and adapt.  My sense of humor and my ability to connect to all those around me makes me easily approachable to not only citizens but also internally to employees.  I am the leader that people are comfortable coming to, the leader that people know will listen, and the leader that will work hard and motivate all of them around him to resolve issues and make our department and communities better.