Commissioner Warren Strandell released another County Line column earlier this week. It covers an experience he had riding with two deputies of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It can be found down below-
Have you ever wanted to do a ride-along with county deputies?
That is something that I had long thought about wanting to do, but would Sheriff Jim Tadman agree? When posed to the sheriff as he concluded his monthly report to the County Board a couple of weeks ago his answer was quickly turned into another question.
“When would you like to do it?” he responded.
When finally staged to avoid any conflict with my other meetings, the ride-along occurred last Wednesday. On that day there were no bank holdups, no motor vehicles crashes, or whiteouts. No arrests were made. No drivers were stopped for traffic violations. There were no crime scenes to protect. There just weren’t issues of any kind, which is just the way law officers want a shift to go by. And it was certainly all right with me, too.
So, instead of any Gunsmoke experiences (I was offered the option of wearing a bulletproof vest, which I declined), it was just going to be the sharing of a lot of thoughts and experiences.
Six-hour shift
The first part of my six-hour “shift” was spent in the Law Enforcement Center with Deputy Heath Hanson, a Crookston native and a 28-year veteran of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Before completing the law enforcement program at Hibbing Junior College, he had spent a year at the University of Minnesota-Crookston, had studied in the farm operations program at Northland Community & Technical College in East Grand Forks, and had several other work experiences.
Deputy Hanson first brought me up-to-date on a case he was working on that involved the theft of snowmobiles and a trailer. None of the items had been reported stolen because the owners just didn’t think the units would ever be found. After having become curious about a few things while out on patrol, Deputy Hanson was able to determine that the items had been stolen and he was in the process of putting some things together for further action.
Value of cameras
He also showed me footage of his involvement —recorded on his body camera and by the camera on his car — in the arrest of a man who had been driving a stolen car. At first, the man would not cooperate with orders to exit the car and get down on the ground. The situation had escalated to the point where it could have into a real issue before the man finally complied.
Had there been any kind of confrontation, the camera footage would have shown that all protocols were followed the whole time. Body and car cameras can be an officer’s best friend. They remove any doubt about how things actually transpire.
The car was found to contain a significant amount of drugs.
In his time with the Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Hanson has worked in several roles including time as an investigator, as an undercover drug officer, and as a trainer. He is a part-time college course educator.
Just helping out
All deputies who work road patrol also serve papers. In combination with that duty and normal road patrol, we came across a lady whose car was stalled near Crookston. The car had front-end damage from having hit a deer. Deputy Hanson was able to adjust some of the damaged things enough to allow the very appreciative lady to continue home.
The next two and a half hours were spent with Deputy April Hansen. There’s no relation, the Hanson/Hansen names are spelled differently.
Deputy April, I’ll call her April to avoid any possible confusion, grew up a few miles south of East Grand Forks as April Bushee. She graduated from East Grand Forks Senior High School in 1999 and after two years at the University of North Dakota, classes at Northland Community & Technical College in East Grand Forks to become a paramedic.
She worked for Great Plains Ambulance in Crookston for a time before again attending Northland to also become a licensed practical nurse. While working in that medical field she later combined work with traveling to Northland Community & Technical College in Thief River Falls to become a law enforcement officer.
Teaches first responder, CPR classes
The law enforcement certification led April to a nine-year career (2008-2017) as an officer with the East Grand Forks Police Department. After leaving that post, she worked at the Altru Neurology Clinic for 23 months before joining the Polk County Sheriff’s Department just over three years ago. In addition to duties as a road patrol officer, she teaches the first responder and CPR classes for the Sheriff’s Department. April and her husband, Paul Hansen, the assistant chief of the East Grand Forks Fire Department, have three children ages 5, 9, and 10.
In visiting with Heath and April — I’m calling them on a first name basis now — I asked about some experiences: Like have you had to draw your weapon? Have you ever had to fire it?
Their answers were Yes to having to draw the weapon and No, they said — adding thankfully — to the answer about firing them.
About other things in the line of duty: Like having to respond to fatal accidents. Yes, both answered. For Heath, in his 28 years, he said it has been many, many times… as many as 300 times. “Some of the crashes more than others really stick with you. You don’t forget them,” he says.
Toll on body and mind
“One of the biggest issues of being an officer,” Sheriff Tadman notes, “is the toll that it takes on your body both physically and mentally. Police officers can observe, deal with, or become involved in extremely difficult situations and experiences… even on a daily basis.”
“Men and women who choose law enforcement as a profession are told to prepare to deal with the cumulative stress of the job. There is, however, a form of stress that many officers will face but are unprepared to deal with. This stress is more immediate and intense and is often the result of a singular traumatic event. When you are in law enforcement skills training, no instructor showing videos or talking about responding and dealing with critical incidents can prepare you for the ups and downs your body and mind goes through.”
About law enforcement jobs in Polk County, April says this: “I’m really thankful that the residents of Polk County are so supportive of our agency. We are so lucky to be a part of this community. Their support is crucial to our work. We will always strive to protect and serve Polk County with the utmost honor and integrity.”
That ended my ride along. Great experience. Great officers. Great people.
Thought for the day:
When stopped for a traffic violation, you will get Brownie points by placing and keeping both hands at the top of the steering wheel. Even more Brownie points come at night when you also turn on the interior lights. Officers will appreciate that.