behind the steele star - co.steele.mn.us newsletters/2012/newsletter___nov… · behind the steele...

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Sergeants Brian Bennett with K-9 Partner Chaos Gary Okins Todd Schwanke Bill Youngquist Investigator Troy Matejcek Deputies Milo Dahlin Nicholas Donahue Chad Forystek Aaron Guzman Darrin Helget Jim Holton Kari Kalow Scott Kochendorfer Tony Padilla with K-9 Partner Caesar Greg Skillestad Mary Ulrich Brady Wolhart Civil Process Tony David Jeanne Willmott Law Enforcement Center Records Staff Barbara Rupprecht, Lead Renee’ Babcock Cassandra Calandra Dianne Johnson Questions/Comments Contact The Steele County Sheriff’s Office at 507-444-3800 or 204 East Pearl Owatonna, MN 55060 lon.thiele@ co.steele.mn.us scott.hanson@ co.steele.mn.us karen.meier@ co.steele.mn.us County Website: CLICK HERE www.co.steele.mn.us NOVEMBER 27, 2012 Volume 3, Issue 9 Behind The Steele Star Steele County Sheriff’s Office Lon Thiele, Sheriff Scott Hanson, Chief Deputy Karen Meier, Administrative Asst SPECIAL DEPUTY PANCAKE BREAKFAST Sunday, December 9th is the date for the annual Pancake Breakfast benefitting the Steele County Special Deputy Unit. It will be held at the V.F.W. Club—135 Oakdale Drive, Owatonna. The proceeds raised help to fund the group’s training efforts and equipment purchases. Tickets can be purchased from any member of the Special Deputy unit. D. A. R. E. GRADUATION Pictured above: Sheriff Lon Thiele, Alexandra Combs, Summer Kath, Paige Pe- terson, Jayna Domeier, Blake Ihrke, Kade Reese and D.A.R.E. Instructor, Deputy Tony David. The 2012 D.A.R.E. Graduation was held on Thursday, November 15, 2012 at the Ellendale Middle School Gym. Sixty-Six Fifth grade students graduated from the ten-week program. The students pictured above were selected to read their re- ports at the ceremony. After the ceremony the students were treated to pizza and refreshments.

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Page 1: Behind The Steele Star - co.steele.mn.us newsletters/2012/NEWSLETTER___NOV… · Behind The Steele Star Steele County Sheriff’s Office Lon Thiele, Sheriff Scott Hanson, Chief Deputy

Sergeants Brian Bennett with K-9 Partner Chaos

Gary Okins Todd Schwanke Bill Youngquist

Investigator

Troy Matejcek

Deputies Milo Dahlin

Nicholas Donahue Chad Forystek Aaron Guzman Darrin Helget

Jim Holton Kari Kalow

Scott Kochendorfer Tony Padilla with

K-9 Partner Caesar Greg Skillestad

Mary Ulrich Brady Wolhart

Civil Process Tony David

Jeanne Willmott

Law Enforcement Center Records Staff Barbara Rupprecht,

Lead Renee’ Babcock

Cassandra Calandra Dianne Johnson

Questions/Comments

Contact The Steele

County Sheriff’s Office

at 507-444-3800 or

204 East Pearl

Owatonna, MN 55060

lon.thiele@

co.steele.mn.us

scott.hanson@

co.steele.mn.us

karen.meier@

co.steele.mn.us

County Website:

CLICK HERE

www.co.steele.mn.us

NOVEMBER 27, 2012 Volume 3, Issue 9

Behind The Steele Star

Steele County Sheriff’s Office

Lon Thiele, Sheriff Scott Hanson, Chief Deputy Karen Meier, Administrative Asst

SPECIAL DEPUTY PANCAKE BREAKFAST Sunday, December 9th is the date for the annual Pancake

Breakfast benefitting the Steele County Special Deputy

Unit. It will be held at the V.F.W. Club—135 Oakdale

Drive, Owatonna. The proceeds raised help to fund the

group’s training efforts and equipment purchases. Tickets

can be purchased from any member of the Special Deputy

unit.

D. A. R. E. GRADUATION

Pictured above: Sheriff Lon Thiele, Alexandra Combs, Summer Kath, Paige Pe-

terson, Jayna Domeier, Blake Ihrke, Kade Reese and D.A.R.E. Instructor, Deputy

Tony David.

The 2012 D.A.R.E. Graduation was held on Thursday, November 15, 2012 at the

Ellendale Middle School Gym. Sixty-Six Fifth grade students graduated from the

ten-week program. The students pictured above were selected to read their re-

ports at the ceremony. After the ceremony the students were treated to pizza

and refreshments.

Page 2: Behind The Steele Star - co.steele.mn.us newsletters/2012/NEWSLETTER___NOV… · Behind The Steele Star Steele County Sheriff’s Office Lon Thiele, Sheriff Scott Hanson, Chief Deputy

Special Deputies Les Abraham, Coordinator

507-398-3284

Walt Barfknecht

Charlie Berg

Grant Brossard Chris Clark

Jack Dillemuth

Scott Dobson

Derek Drache

Gene Fisher

Christopher Gannon

Scott Jorgensen

Jeff Kirchner

Mark Kreutter

Andrew Kubista

Eugene Linse

Dave Macht

Randy Mahlman

Anthony Malepsy

Rich Mueller

Brandon Noble

Matthew Pace

Marty Rethemeier

Sean Robbins

Paul Schneider

LeRoy Schroeder

Mark Schultz

John Standke

Thomas Stockwell

Jodi Strand John Sweet

Mounted Posse Joe Schwering, Captain

507-528-2423

Ed Berryman

John Bowe

Maralou Brose

Jodie Briant

Michelle Darrah

Tine Donahue

John Gerold

Tim Hager

Tom Hager

Mike Haubenschild

Dan Hedberg

William Hildebrandt

Leon Kamrath

Mike Keinz

Kay Klemmer

Monte Mowry

John Mueller Del Mullenbach

Joyce Nelson

Duane Peltz

Barrie Peterson

Dawn Peterson

Lynn Pettis

Ethel Quimby

Marilyn Schwering

Tony Schwering

Troy Utpadel

Water Patrol Paul Hanson

Brandon Noble

Behind The Steele Star

“GOOD TIMES

SERVED”

ARTWORK BY

DAKOTA COUNTY

CORRECTIONAL

DEPUTY

JOE ENGESSER

KUDOS TO OUR DEPUTY WOLHART Late Saturday, September 22nd, deputies were called to a Steele County residence

on 92nd Ave. N.W. for a domestic. While at the residence, Deputy Brady Wolhart

found what was thought to be stolen property. Prior to the arrival of our Investiga-

tor, Deputy Wolhart took the initiative to verify the items were indeed stolen.

Donald Rezac was arrested and the investigation continues into the possibility of

additional property that has been stolen. That initiative on Deputy Wolhart’s part

has led to a good solid arrest and a strong case against Rezac. Deputies Aaron

Guzman and Greg Skillestad assisted.

Then on Thanksgiving morning around 2:20 a.m. Deputy Wolhart was on routine

patrol in Medford when he came across a burglary in progress at the RC Super

Store. Deputy Wolhart first observed an individual on foot. He then noticed sev-

eral boxes stacked next to a power pole by a yellow SUV that he could tell were

from the RC Super Store. Upon checking the doors of that business he found the

rear door standing wide open. He then observed the yellow SUV driving away and

pulled it over. Found in the vehicle was a pry-bar, flashlights, ski masks and gloves.

Randy Novak was arrested for burglary and taken to the Steele County Detention

Center. Deputy Wolhart then performed his post-arrest inspection of the back

seat of his squad, where he located $300.00 that was taken from the desk drawer at

RC Super Store. Novak later confessed to the burglary. Again, Deputy Wolhart

provided good investigative work prior to the arrival of our invesitagor, which

helped to gain a confession and a secure court case. Deputy Wolhart was assisted

by Rice County Sheriff’s Office, Officer Fisher of the Owatonna Police Department,

Deputies Darrin Helget and Greg Skillestad and Investigative Sergeant Gary Okins.

Within a four week period in Oct./Nov. Deputy Wolhart also had made seven DWI

arrest in Steele County. That is seven impaired drivers taken off our county roads.

That is something we can all be appreciative of.

Page 3: Behind The Steele Star - co.steele.mn.us newsletters/2012/NEWSLETTER___NOV… · Behind The Steele Star Steele County Sheriff’s Office Lon Thiele, Sheriff Scott Hanson, Chief Deputy

Behind The Steele Star

Detention Center 507-446-7000

2500 Alexander St. Owatonna, MN 55060

ron.hammann@ co.steele.mn.us

Administrator Ron Hammann

Assistant Administrator Dick Wandrey

Programs Jennifer Pfeifer, Coor.

Cindy Fowler Jessica Fenlason

Sergeants Justin Hebel

Richelle Olson Paul Prissel

Corporals Anthony Buttera

Jed Loftus Joyce Prusha

Troy Stockwell

Corrections Officers Travis Ardolf Travis Avelar Mark Barrie Drew Bartelt

Nathan Boysen Crystal Chappuis

Steve Clark Elisha Degrego Kristin Freese Steven Gjerald Dawn Grunklee Matthew Gwin Alicyn Hinze Luis Irizarry Shannon Jes Jason Krohn

Al Kubat Adil Lebgue

Shari Luedtke Richard Smith Shelley Thom Carl Wheeler

Nursing Joyce Drake Leah Kent

Records Staff Nancy Gjerald, Lead

Sarah Tesch

WIND TURBINE SAFETY EXERCISE

In the last year, approximately eight (8) sections in the Blooming Prairie Township changed with the addition of wind tur-bines. There are now 24 wind turbines scattered throughout the area. The wind energy solution has arrived in Steele County. Earlier in the year, we were approached by Vestas inquiring if we would want any involvement in a safety plan. I immediate-ly agreed that we should have a safety plan in place and acquire some knowledge on what to do and what not to do in a rescue situation involving a wind turbine.

On Saturday November 17th, 2012 the Steele County Sheriff’s Office and Vestas held a high rescue training exercise. The exercise consisted of a “mock” medical event. The medical situation consisted of one of the workers having breathing diffi-culty. The person having breathing difficulty was at the very top of the wind tur-bine. That is basically over 300 feet up. In order for us to retrieve that person we needed the assistance of the Vestas safe-ty plan and area rescue personnel. There are approximately 34,000 volts when the turbine is efficiently operating. After several procedures and safety protocols by Vestas personnel we were now able to send rescue inside. Since this was the first time for any of us attending a rescue from a turbine the “mock” exercise was set up with a 180 pound dummy attached to a res-cue harness 300 feet up. Vestas em-ployees were now able to demonstrate how the equipment worked. The dummy was lowered out in the safety harness from a bottom hatch of the nacelle. The Vestas crew was able to demonstrate the safest way and most practical way with the surround-ing elements included. After the exer-cise some rescue personnel were al-lowed inside the turbine to get a work-ing knowledge of the equipment. This was a great exercise and opened a lot of eyes including mine. Participation included the Steele County Sheriff’s Office, Blooming Prairie Fire Department, Blooming Prairie Ambulance, Owatonna Fire Department, and Vestas. (Pictured above and author of this article, Sheriff Lon Thiele. Additional photos follow on the next page.)

Page 4: Behind The Steele Star - co.steele.mn.us newsletters/2012/NEWSLETTER___NOV… · Behind The Steele Star Steele County Sheriff’s Office Lon Thiele, Sheriff Scott Hanson, Chief Deputy

Behind The Steele Star

BRINGING THE RESCUE “DUMMY” DOWN TO SAFETY

FOR MEDICAL ATTENTION

WIND TURBINE

SAFETY

EXERCISE