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(Publisher’s Note: We will be running summary reports from city department heads as space allows.) by Police Chief Troy Bissonette
• The department entered Q 1 2024 at 60% full-time staffing and with no supervisory staff. Officers Heikkila, Shenett, and Bissonette worked an intensive amount of overtime to make up for this shortage and through their dedication maintained 24/7 coverage for emergencies and calls for service within the city.
• Officer Bissonette promoted to chief of police. Officer Kremer and officer Ruelle hired to bring agency to 100% full-time staffing by Q3 2024.
• Digitalized scheduling, officers can now view a ‘live’ version of the schedule using their work email accounts whenever and wherever they may be.
• Audit performed on part-time staff. Accepted resignations from two part-time officers whose other obligations prevented them from picking up open shifts in more than a year. Officer Klovstad hired casual parttime to replace one of these slots.
• Policy manual reformatted for easier reading, and all policies updated and reissued to meet current MN POST requirements.
• A new three phase field training program was implemented for new officer hires, borrowing from programs used by Ely PD and Chisholm PD. Officers began by observing senior officers as ride-alongs, graduated to handling calls with senior officer assistance, before being signed off on their proficiency to handle calls on their own. Officer Ruelle and officer Kremer were able to complete field training and move to working on their own following two months of starting training.
• Chief Bissonette, officer Heikkila, and part-time officer Siebert completed testimony in another jury trial for an ongoing prosecution for conspiracy to commit first degree murder following an investigation conducted by the Babbitt Police Department in 2021. An additional suspect was sentenced for their involvement to 17 years in a state prison.
• Agency took delivery of a new 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe Police SUV which is currently being outfitted and will be entering service by the end of this year to replace a 2020 Dodge Durango police SUV that has had repeated mechanical issues.
• Squads each outfitted with a full-size halogen tool and a full-size sledge hammer to better prepare officers for incidents in which they need to force entry to a structure such as an active threat, a medical emergency, or in the execution of a warrant.
• The department continued joint annual in-house MN POST training for required use of force, firearms, and taser qualification with Breitung PD. Additional required MN POST training completed through online partnership with LMC patrol online.
• Officer Ruelle and officer Kremer attended EVOC training and SFST certification training as a part of their initial on-boarding.
• The department responded to over 1,500 calls for service in 2024, similar to 2023. Cases resulting in an arrest or citation being filed were 53 for this year, up from 38 the year before.
