SHERIFF PHIL HODAPP WILL SEEK RE-ELECTION

Bemidji, MN – May 19, 2014 - Today, Beltrami County Sheriff Phil Hodapp announced plans to seek re-election to a third four-year term. Hodapp was first elected sheriff in November, 2006 and took office on January 1, 2007.

"Many of you - the people of our county, colleagues, professional partners, and friends - have encouraged me to run again. As I look back on the past seven years as your sheriff, it's clear we've accomplished a lot together. Chief among these is how our sheriff's office - my team of colleagues - has stepped up its game in how we protect the lives, rights, privileges and properties of the citizens of Beltrami County."

Under Hodapp's leadership, the office of sheriff has responded to crime victims with a particular focus, delivering professional law enforcement and emergency services to the citizens of the county.

Key initiatives have dramatically increased the sheriff's office' ability to share timely, potentially life-saving information with speed and precision by systemically:

• Increasing patrols in rural neighborhoods;

• Improving our response to criminal investigations;

• Increasing our accountability to victims of crime;

• Driving efficiencies into law enforcement communications; and

• Strengthening the accuracy and accessibility of our records management;

Serving on the executive boards of various local public safety organizations - including the Paul Bunyan Task Force and the FBI-based Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force - Hodapp continues to help focus multi-agency resources and efforts to address regional gang, gun, drug and violent crime issues.

"The office of sheriff isn't a one-person job," Hodapp explained. "I value the support of the community, which plays an integral role in our success." Citing both his highly-trained staff and the community volunteers who serve in the sheriff's office and emergency management roles, Hodapp added, "Beltrami County is a great place to serve as a peace officer. Together, we've accomplished a lot over the past seven years and there's more that I'd like to tackle. I welcome the opportunity to work with our skilled staff, community agencies and volunteers and serve another term as Sheriff of this great county."

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Sheriff Phil Hodapp is 58 years old and has been a resident of Beltrami County since 1985 when his wife of 34 years, Marilynne, and their children moved to Turtle River.

Before being elected sheriff, Hodapp served 21 years as Special Agent with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. He performed a variety of duties, including nine years as a supervisor for the BCA and 14 years as tactical team leader for the statewide tactical team. In addition, he supervised a regional task force made up of federal, state, local and tribal officers working gang, gun drug and violent crime on the three reservations surrounding Bemidji. He had nine years of previous law enforcement experience before joining the BCA.

He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Training, the BCA management series and has more than 4000 hours of continuing education on a variety of topics specific to law enforcement and leadership.

As your sheriff, Hodapp has:

• Improved the level of communication within the department and with all citizens, educators, civic and business leaders, and other government and tribal agencies that affect public safety.

• Advanced the standards of professionalism within the sheriff's office through clear expectations, sound leadership, improvements in training and technology - which all serves to make your Sheriff's Office smarter, better and faster in response to your concerns.

• Improved proactive policing and crime prevention in the county by increasing law enforcement presence in the community, specifically through education in our schools and increased police patrols to address safety in our neighborhoods and on our roadways.

• Diligently reassessed and audited sheriff's office services to control costs and realign diminished resources, developed priorities and addressed and resolved the most serious matters quickly and efficiently.

The Sheriff's Office is recognized as a law enforcement leader in the region. Over the past seven years great strides have been made across the organization to improve the ability to understand what's happening among citizens in this county and respond, faithfully and clearly, in the role to protect and serve.