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Managing editor

The Anoka County Board has approved contracts for the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office to provide law enforcement coverage in seven communities in the county.

Acting on the recommendation of County Commissioner Scott LeDoux, Public Safety Committee chairman, contracts with Andover, Bethel, Columbus, East Bethel, Ham Lake, Oak Grove and Linwood Township were approved.

Costs and provisions of the contracts include:

• Andover, $2,599,246 for 80 hours per day of patrol service, 40 hours per week of service by a patrol investigator, 12 hours of service per day by a community service officer, additional 20 hours per week of service by a community service officer for park security from April through September, two full-time deputy sheriffs assigned as school liaison officers in schools in the city and 50 percent of the costs associated with the county’s crime watch program coordinator position.

• Bethel, $40,677 for 664 hours of patrol service for the period Jan. 1, 2010 through Dec. 31, 2010.

• Columbus, $267,266 for eight consecutive hours per day seven days a week of daily patrol service and a school resource officer, eight consecutive hours per day five days a week shared equitably between the city and Linwood Township.

• East Bethel, $1,070,675 for 40 consecutive hours per day of daily patrol coverage and 20 hours per week of service by a community service officer.

• Ham Lake, $1,027,401 for 40 hours per day of patrol service.

• Oak Grove, $419,940 for 16 consecutive hours per day seven days a week of patrol service.

• Linwood Township, $251,657 for eight consecutive hours per day seven days a week of patrol service and a school resource officer, eight consecutive hours a day five days a week shared equitably between the township and Columbus.

None of the contracts produced any comment from county board members, but County Commissioner Dick Lang raised the point that the city of Nowthen does not have a police department nor a contract for law enforcement services with any other city or the sheriff’s office.

County Board Chairman Dennis Berg, who lives in Nowthen, said that was a decision for the Nowthen City Council.

Right now, the Anoka County Sheriff’s Offices does respond to calls as needed, according to Berg.

Nowthen, previously Burns Township, incorporated as a city in 2008.


Peter Bodley is at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it