The following information is gleaned from the 2022 Big Lake Police Annual Report submitted to city council, city administration and city residents by Big Lake Police Chief John Kaczmarek.
Mission Statement
The members of the Big Lake Police Department display Pride in the community we are entrusted to protect, provide Service with compassion and dignity, and exhibit highest level of Integrity in all aspects of our lives.
Core Values
Respect, Integrity, Professionalism, Accountability, Excellence.
Personnel
Chief John Kaczmarek, Captain Sam Olson, Sergeant Sam Norlin, Sergeant Guy Chaffee, Investigator Tom Kucala, Investigator Silas Reek, Officer Joe Kalla, Officer Bill Saliterman, Officer Michael Asfeld, Officer Chris Hoard, Officer Nic Prigge, Officer Julie Hawkins and Office Manager Tina Peterson.
Staff Hired in 2022
Chief John Kaczmarek, Officer Jennifer Franzen, Officer Christopher Thull and Officer William Saliterman.
Staff Lost in 2022
K9 Bruno, Officer Todd Siebert, Officer Kyle Rossberg and Investigator Rich Berg.
Gun Permits
BLPD began issuing gun permits on July 1, 2021. This was previously done through Sherburne County.
• In 2021, our records division issued 54 permits;
• In 2022, our records division issued 118 permits;
• By statute, we have seven days to complete a permit once it is accepted by the department;
• Some permits are taking up to 3-5 days to complete;
• Processing a gun permit to purchase requires running a background check on the individual which can require records requests from multiple law enforcement agencies.
Up Armored Vehicle
Big Lake’s Up Armored Vehicle is a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV). It was acquired from the Return to Duty Program and is overseen by Sgt. Guy Chaffee.
This vehicle is used for negotiations, search and rescue, active shooter response, recovery, emergency management, and is a regional resource for neighboring agencies.
ATV Program
The Big Lake Police Department has continued to utilize ATV’s from the Military Surplus Acquisition Program:
• (2) 2013 850 Sportsman
• Used for patrolling parks, trails, community events, and emergency situations;
• Special events have included 4th of July patrol and the Big Lake Youth Football Tournament.
• All ATV’s are equipped with emergency lights.
K-9 Program
K-9 Ranger, 1 year old Red Sable Shepard cross Malinois joined BLPD on January 23, 2023. Ranger is in the beginning stages of narcotics and obedience training and will be attending (three) month Patrol training from March to June 2023. Ranger will be trained to be a dual-purpose working K-9.
Technology
The Big Lake Police Department prides itself with up-to-date technology:
• Axon Body Cameras and Reporting Software;
• Night / Thermal Vision;
• Suppressed Patrol Rifles;
• Guardian Angel Shoulder Lights;
• Unmanned Arial Vehicle (UAV);
• Squad Lighting Designed for Officer Safety;
• Big Lake Police is 100% Cloud-Based for Data Retention.
UAV Program
The Big Lake Police Department currently has 2 UAV’s Autel EVO II Dual and DJI Mini 2. Some of the features of these UAV’s are;
• Autel EVO II Dual;
• Long range flight out to 5 miles;
• Intergraded thermal and daytime camera;
• DJI Mini 2;
• Compact for flying in small areas;
• Blade guards for indoor flying.
Officers are able to fly the DJI Mini 2 inside buildings, while still using the Autel EVO II Dual for larger outdoor deployments.
The BLPD currently has seven assigned pilots; Officer Silas Reek, Investigator Nic Prigge, Officer Chris Hoard, Sergeant Sam Norlin, Sergeant Guy Chaffee, Officer Joe Kalla and Officer Tyler Hecht.
BLPDs UAV is utilized for vulnerable and missing person searches, critical incident management, suspect location, crime scene mapping, and a large array of other duties.
There were 39 deployments in 2022 and they range from domestics, missing persons, welfare checks, training, community events, fleeing and medical situations.
Community Engagement
In 2022, officers and staff attended many community events including Farmer’s Market at Lakeside Park; Movie in the park, the event/parade and Guns and Hoses Softball game during Spudfest; Music in the Park; the Big Lake Community Job Fair and many others.
2023 Goals
Some of the department’s goals for 2023 are the following:
• Officer Wellness: Building an Officer Wellness Program for our department. Ensuring that the needs of our officers remain a priority for the department, and their mental and physical wellness are cared for.
• Staffing: Emphasis on 24/7 staffing of (2) Patrol Officers. Supervision and Accountability. Remaining fiscally responsible while providing adequate and exceptional public safety services to your community.
• Partnerships: Continue to grow and foster relationships with neighboring law enforcement agencies along with businesses and stakeholders within our community.
• Community Engagement: Continue to grow interaction with our community via; social media, internet, and in person.
• Succession Planning: Harvesting in our officers. Providing career opportunities for growth and leadership.
