When trying to make contact with our Patrol Division, please note:  Deputy shifts may take them away from the office for several days in a row.

In addition to their law enforcement degree, every peace officer in Steele County has passed the MN State Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) exam. In order to maintain their license, they are required to obtain continuing education credits annually. Some examples of training include: defensive tactics, cold water rescue, weapons qualifications in various elements, taser usage, field sobriety testing, intoxilyzer usage, legal updates, radar usage, first aid/cpr/aed, pursuit driving tactics, highway drug interdiction, and MN D.A.R.E. training.

Upon being hired by the Steele County Sheriff’s Office, every deputy is placed in our Field Training Program. They are assigned to the Patrol Division where they are provided with intense field training and performance assessment under the direction of the Field Training Officers (FTO) and the Shift Commander. (The Field Training Officers have volunteered for their Field Training and Evaluation assignments and have received special training and certification.) The mission of the FTO’s is to assist the new deputy to certify for a solo patrol assignment. Accordingly, the Field Training and Evaluation Process is intended to provide instruction, direction, supervision, guidance and experience to assist the new deputy to apply critical skills in a variety of situations, learn how to quickly and effectively develop sound judgments and provide excellent uniform patrol services to the public. This process will provide the Steele County Sheriff’s Office with the information necessary to determine if the newly hired deputy possess the requisites to certify as a non-probationary employee.

Those deputies provide coverage to the citizens of Steele County 24/7. The county deputies possess arrest authority within the entire county. Response calls include, but are not limited to: accidents, fires, medicals, domestic disputes and burglaries. Traffic law enforcement, warrant arrests and assisting other agencies is also a part of their daily schedules.

Their administrative obligations are just as important as their patrol duties. A conviction of the arrest relies heavily on proper procedures, detailed report writing and their testimony in court. Their knowledge of state statutes and local laws is crucial to their daily activities.

The deputies are each assigned a squad that they take home and are entirely responsible for. To the citizens of Steele County this means a faster response time, should an emergency call-out take place.