04. Scandia Newsletter - Feb 22S C A N D I A , M N
M O N T H L Y N E W S L E T T E R
SCANDIA F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 2
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 2
B. Comiskey H. Newman
A. Jorgenson J. Merrill
R. Dziki C. Kelling
Lately, the news has been dominated with the reported increase of
carjacking and auto thefts across the Twin Cities metro area, and
Washington County has not been an exception to the trend. In addition to
working in partnership with all law enforcement agencies throughout
Washington County and other bordering departments, the investigation
divisions from Cottage Grove, Woodbury, and Oakdale Police Departments
have partnered with ours to share real-time information. The result of
agency collaboration has allowed for a quick response to several incidents
and led to success in apprehension. As many of our stolen vehicles have
been recovered in the St. Paul area, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office
has also made it a priority to partner with the Ramsey County Sheriff’s
Office. This partnership has allowed our team to better protect the residents
and guests of Washington County with the added ability to put pressure on
the criminals responsible in their own backyard.
When these types of thefts occur, it takes a team effort from the Sheriff’s
Office to address and respond to the rise in crime. Our criminal analyst
works hard to develop a list of suspects and recently stolen vehicles to give
to our teams on the street. Our Specialized Investigations Unit, along with
our Special Enforcement Team, have been working extended hours,
increasing patrols, and responding in unmarked vehicles for better
apprehension efforts. The Washington County Attorney’s Office has joined
in our partnership by assigning dedicated attorneys to help prosecute those
who are arrested.
With crime prevention efforts, we can help mitigate future thefts from
occurring by eliminating "crimes of opportunity". Of the vehicles that have
been stolen, most have been left running in driveways or parked in the
garage with the keys inside. As always, we encourage our citizens to call in
suspicious activity as soon as possible so our teams can respond.
-Sergeant Joe Stoehr, Investigations
The Sheriff's Office has proudly
welcomed six new deputies in 2022.
These deputies come to us with
different personal and professional
backgrounds and will each make a
great addition to our team!
In s o m e c ap a c i t y o r a n o t h er , m a n y o f
y o u h a v e ha d t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o w o rk
w i t h a c c o u nt i n g su p e r v i s o r J e n n i f e r
Fl or e s t h r o ug h o u t t h e y ea r s .
J en n i fe r b eg a n h er c ar e e r w i t h t h e
S h e r if f ’s O f f i c e st r a i g h t o u t o f c o l le g e
i n 2 0 0 7 . S h e s t a r te d o u t i n t h e R ec o r d s
U n i t t r a n s c r i b i n g r ep o r t s a n d w a s l a t e r
p r o mo te d t o t h e ac c ou n t in g le a d
p o s it i o n i n 2 01 2 . As a s e l f-p r o c la im e d
n u m be r s f a n a t i c , t h i s w a s a na t u r al f it .
J e nn if er re c e i ve d h e r B a c he lo r o f
S c i e n c e in Bu s i n e s s fr o m t h e
Un iv e r s i t y o f M i n ne s o t a , C a r l s o n
S ch o o l o f M an a g em e n t , w i th a
c o n c e n t ra ti on i n F i na n c e .
I n h e r r o l e a s A c c o un t i ng Su p e r v i s o r ,
J e n n i f e r o v e r s e es t he a c co u n t i n g a nd
f i n a nc e fu n c t i o n s wi t h i n t h e S h er i f f ’s
O f fi c e . Th is i n c l u d es a n a n n u a l b u d g e t
o f ne a r l y $4 0 m il l i o n, th e f i na n c i a l
m a n a ge m e n t o f m a ny s t a t e a n d f e d er a l
g r an t p r o gr am s , a n d t he d a y -t o -d a y
o p er a t i o n a l t r a n s ac t i o n s f o r ac c ou n t s
p a y a b l e a nd a c c o u n t s r e c ei v a b l e .
J e n ni f e r g r e w u p i n C o t t a ge G r o v e a n d
s t i l l l i v e s t h e r e t o d a y w it h he r h us b a n d ,
3 -y e ar -o l d s o n , G r e a t Da n e , a n d f o u r
c a t s, (s h e i s a n a v id a n i m a l l o v e r )!
SCANDIA @ W A S H I N G T O N C O U N T Y S O @ W C S O M N F A C E B O O K .C O M /W C S O M N W W W .W C S O .I N F O
Jennifer Flores
ACCOUNTING SUPERVISOR
a b l e t o c o n d u c t a h i g h l y
s t a n d a r d i z e d e v a l u a t i o n w h i c h
t a k e s p l a c e a f t e r a d e p u t y o r
p o l i c e o f f i c e r h a s r e c o g n i z e d
s o m e t y p e o f i m p a i r m e n t a n d h a s
m a d e a n a r r e s t f o r D W I , b u t
a l c o h o l d o e s n o t a p p e a r t o b e t h e
c o n t r i b u t i n g f a c t o r . U s i n g w h a t i s
c o n s i d e r e d “e x p e r t ” l e v e l t r a i n i n g ,
D e p u t y F r e e m a n ’s k n o w l e d g e o f
h o w d i f f e r e n t c a t e g o r i e s o f d r u g s
a f f e c t a p e r s o n ’s b o d y a r e
e v a l u a t e d t h r o u g h a s e r i e s o f
s t a n d a r d i z e d f i e l d s o b r i e t y t e s t s .
D e p u t y F r e e m a n w i l l b e a b l e t o
d e t e r m i n e w h i c h c a t e g o r y o r
c a t e g o r i e s o f d r u g s t h e p e r s o n i s
i m p a i r e d b y .
D e p u t y T y l e r F r e e m a n i s n e w l y a s s i g n e d a s t h e D W I
E n f o r c e m e n t D e p u t y a n d h i s p r i m a r y r e s p o n s i b i l i t y i s t o l o c a t e
d r i v e r s i n W a s h i n g t o n C o u n t y i m p a i r e d b y e i t h e r a l c o h o l o r
d r u g s . A t t h e e n d o f M a r c h , D e p u t y F r e e m a n w i l l c o m p l e t e t h e
t h r e e -w e e k t r a i n i n g a n d e v a l u a t i o n t o j o i n t h e 3 0 0 + c e r t i f i e d
D r u g R e c o g n i t i o n E v a l u a t o r s i n t h e S t a t e o f M i n n e s o t a . O n c e
c e r t i f i e d , D e p u t y F r e e m a n w i l l b e c o m e t h e s i x t h D r u g
R e c o g n i t i o n E x p e r t i n h e r e i n W a s h i n g t o n C o u n t y . H e w i l l b e
Deputy Tyler Freeman
P r i o r t o D e p u t y F r e e m a n a s s u m i n g t h e
r o l e i n J a n u a r y , D e p u t y M i c h a e l
R a m o s w a s a s s i g n e d a s t h e f i r s t D W I
E n f o r c e m e n t D e p u t y i n 2 0 1 8 . D u r i n g
h i s c a r e e r w i t h t h e S h e r i f f 's O f f i c e ,
D e p u t y R a m o s h a s m a d e o v e r 5 0 0
D W I a r r e s t s , w i t h 1 5 2 o f t h o s e a r r e s t s
i n 2 0 2 1 a l o n e . W e w i s h D e p u t y R a m o s
w e l l a s h e m o v e s o n t o g e n e r a l p a t r o l
a n d t h a n k h i m f o r h i s d e d i c a t i o n t o t h e
a s s i g n m e n t o v e r t h e y e a r s !
Passing the torch...