Thoughts From the Sheriff
This month I want to bring attention to a group of individuals that continue meeting monthly in preparation for any calls for assistance involving search and rescue, evidence recovery or traffic/crowd control at large events. This group of people are called the Clearwater County Volunteer Sheriffs Reserve. This dedicated group operates solely on donations and contributions from organizations and individuals to fund their operation. On April 19th from 10:30 am - 1 pm, there will be a free-will pancake feed fundraiser held at the Bagley American Legion to help this group with funding necessary for training and equipment needs. This year, the Sheriffs reserve are raising money to purchase equipment for under water search and rescue equipment.
Those who are not familiar with the Clearwater County Volunteer Sheriffs Reserve, I will give you a little background. Former Clearwater County Sheriff Denny Trandem can be given credit for starting this group. He saw the need to establish a non-profit volunteer group that could assist the Sheriff’s Office in the areas mentioned above. The first group of volunteers formed in 1997 and has served continuously for the past 28 years.
The number of members has been as high as 25 and currently sits at 12. It has become increasingly difficult to find members who can commit the time necessary. It seems everyone is getting busier and finding the time to volunteer is next to impossible. The group of Sheriffs reserve members shows the commitment and dedication necessary to set them apart from others. I applaud the sacrifice they make in taking time out of their own day and from their families to serve in this capacity.
The Sheriffs Reserve operates under by-laws and a policy and procedure handbook. They have a President that oversees meetings and works closely with the Chief Deputy of the Sheriff’s Office in coordinating trainings and equipment purchases needed for the members. In addition to the President, there are co-Vice Presidents, and a Secretary/Treasurer takes minutes at the monthly meetings and is responsible for distributing payments.
Community service is at the fore front of this group. In addition to assisting the Sheriff’s Office, they have adopted a stretch of highway north of Bagley on MN Hwy 92 where they pick trash twice a year to help keep our environment clean. They also distribute two $250 scholarships to students in both the Bagley and Clearbrook/Gonvick Schools for anyone continuing their education in a post-secondary school in the criminal justice field of study.
So how do you become a member of the Clearwater County Volunteer Sheriffs Reserve? The first step is to call or stop in at the Sheriff’s Office and speak to Chief Deputy Vern Wittenberg. You will then be given an application to fill out and a background check will be done on you. The background check is done to confirm nothing in your past could cause a problem in serving in this capacity as you will be working closely with law enforcement and may be exposed to sensitive information. Once the background check is completed, your name will be presented to the current members to vote you on to the group. If the majority of the members agree to accept you, then you will become a member.
After becoming a member, you will be issued standard equipment such as a two-way radio, compass, safety vest, flashlight, etc. You will be expected to regularly attend monthly meetings held on the first Monday of every month starting at 6:00 pm. Regular business is discussed and decisions are made that steer the reserve unit. Your participation is important, so you remain up to date and the more members that are present allows for a broad array of ideas and brainstorming.
If this is something you think you might be interested in being a part of, I would encourage you to contact Chief Deputy Wittenberg and begin the process. I would also encourage everyone, whether you are interested in joining the group or not, to come to the fundraiser on April 19th and show your support. This is a great opportunity to talk to current members and say thank you or if you are interested in joining to get a little more information. We are always looking for new members to fill the role of a Clearwater County Volunteer Sheriffs reserve member.
If you have questions that you would like answered or any suggestions, please email me at darin.halverson@clearwatercountymn.gov or call the Sheriffs Office at 218-694-6226. You can also find us on Facebook by searching for Clearwater County Sheriff’s Office.
Thank you and as always, I am honored to serve as your Clearwater County Sheriff.