County Sherrif – Meet the Candidates
MARTY KELLY
I have been serving the citizens of Red Wing and Goodhue County for 34 years with the last four years as your Sheriff. During that time, I have seen our profession evolve in ways we never would have imagined when I first began in 1989. I have served through five decades with one guiding principle and am proud to say that — treating people the way you would want to be treated — has served me well.
I am a proud father of five children and grandfather to twins. My wife, Mary of 32 years, is my rock and stabilizing force. We live on a hobby farm in Hay Creek Township where we raise beef cattle for fun and 4-H projects.
Leading our office through the civil unrest and the COVID-19 pandemic was difficult but we see hope and are stronger for it. COVID-19 essentially shut down our Adult Detention Center (ADC) and, like every employer and Sheriff’s Office in the county, we are now facing staffing shortages. With colleges experiencing record low enrollment in their Law Enforcement Programs, we need to find ways to attract quality people to the office. Our current ADC staff are superheroes for stepping up and filling shifts when needed. Our dispatchers are at full staffing levels, but they do answer many calls and do other tasks keeping them extremely busy and for that, I am grateful. Patrol staff has increased traffic stops and DUI’s to a level not seen in years and their initiative is remarkable. I applaud them, especially during these times of tension and uncertainty.
Having been your sheriff since 2019, I have implemented many changes within our office and change can be difficult. However, one of the changes involved budgeting priorities. The county works on a limited budget and I am proud to say that we have been good stewards of our taxpayers’ dollars. We have been able to come under our budget by 1.9 million dollars. Even with these impressive numbers we prioritized our training budget and fully funded programs that have resulted in a highly trained force.
Mental health and substance abuse has also been a priority of mine. When I started, we had no patrol deputies trained in Critical Incident Training (CIT). We now have 13. We also implemented a Peer Support Team and Chaplain Program in our office. Another narcotics officer has been added to our task force and we began an outpatient treatment program though Minnesota Teen Challenge in our ADC.
Finally, our investigative unit along with the help of the MN BCA, was able to solve two, tragic 20-year-old death cases in which babies were found on the banks of the Mississippi River. This was accomplished by the dedication and hard work of both our current staff along with those before us.
We appreciate that our citizens have embraced our deputies and police officers even more during these difficult times. It is commonplace for any one of us to hear “Thank you for your service.” We appreciate our citizens and want to serve you. We have emphasized community engagement and you have seen us out into our communities at an unprecedented level.
I look forward to building upon the relationships we currently have and those we have yet to establish. Thank you for the honor of being your Sheriff and I and would appreciate your support in November.
JOSH HANSON
Josh has over 23 years of military and public safety experience. Josh’s military service began during the initial hours of the Global War on Terror as part of a Joint Special Operations Task Force and continued to the final hours of the Iraq war with the MN Army National Guard. His local law enforcement experience has involved almost every aspect of the law enforcement effort in Goodhue County to include municipal (city) and county law enforcement, patrol, special teams and assignments, administration, command staff and is currently the Goodhue County Emergency Management Director – working with all government, private and volunteer aspects and partnerships. Josh has received numerous awards and decorations in the military and in law enforcement. Josh has over two decades of training, education, and experience which he brings to Goodhue County’s public safety effort and to his candidacy for the Office of Goodhue County Sheriff.
Public safety during these most uncertain and challenging times is my main priority. Ensuring the safety and security of your family, your property and preserving the peaceful way of life in Goodhue County is my mission. It will be achieved through strength in community partnerships, a comprehensive law enforcement model, and a proactive response to all the challenges Goodhue County faces today and tomorrow. We need to look ahead to what’s coming next. However, taking care of YOU begins with taking care of those tasked to protect you.
I believe these are some of the most challenging times for our protectors. The profession is in crisis, and our current administration is failing them. As a result, we are failing our communities. With renewed leadership and vision, we can start to change this most unfortunate course our protectors find themselves on today. Our community and YOU deserve an exceptional level of public safety service for your tax dollars. Anything short of this vision is failure – and responsibility for this starts at the top.
The goal is simple –
Under my administration, Goodhue County will set an example for others to follow. We will lead in education, training, and standards. We will prioritize staff health and wellness. As a community, we will take on the mental health crisis, human trafficking, the opioid crisis, catalytic converter theft, and work for responsible change in law enforcement. Together, we will establish an unprecedented, transparent, and proactive public safety effort in Goodhue County. For today and for tomorrow.
