Greetings,

I am so fortunate to live and serve in such a great county. At the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, we are working hard on the principles and priorities I set for my administration. I wanted to give you a quick update on how we are progressing.

The residents and communities in this county are measurably safer this year than they have been in many years. Law enforcement agencies throughout the county (at the local, state and federal levels) have been working cooperatively and in a more coordinated and focused fashion. The results have been dynamic! Violent crime (murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault) decreased 15% across the county in 2007, and another 12% in 2008. Early indicators for 2009 show we are on track for additional reduction in violent crime countywide.

As our economic challenges continue, the demand for our services will increase. But HCSO is working hard on cost-cutting measures through increased internal efficiencies, more private/public partnerships and making strong use of the Justice Assistance Grants provided by the federal government in the most efficient and effective ways.

In addition, we have now launched our Hennepin County Sheriff Foundation. Our goals for the foundation include providing several things: equipment and resources for special deputies and citizen volunteers, scholarships for young law enforcement students, and coordination of volunteers to mentor young adults through Project Rebound. To learn more and support this mission, I encourage you to visit the website at www.SheriffFoundation.org.

I know there are many challenges ahead, and we often do see an increase in crime during the summer months. But the recent successes we?ve had inspire me to keep focused, to continue collaborating, and to believe that with thoughtful application of new ideas we can continue to accomplish real results for the residents of Hennepin County.

As always, I look forward to additional occasions for us to connect. I so appreciate your continued support for my work at the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office.

Sincerely,



Rich