2014 Vol. 8 Issue 5 October - Laserfiche WebLink

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Gem Lake News Page 3 of 6 Sheriff Matt Bostrom Visit City Council Meeting for Update Last year, the Sheriff's Department collected approximately 6,000 pounds of unused prescription drugs. Hiring and Training The Sheriff's Department expects to hire between 20 and 30 people this year, partly due to the number of retirements that have happened recently. Approximately 18 men and women are currently in the deputy academy and will be candidates for positions as correction officers and deputies. When it comes to hiring and training, Bostom says their emphasis is to select for character and train for competence. Four core values are key to him and the department. They are: honor, respect, responsibility, and truth. "We emphasize the importance of character throughout department operations. We've had great success with this concept." Fund Raising The Sheriff's Department will once again sponsor the annual "Fright Farm" during weekends in October. The event is held at the Ramsey County Fairgrounds on White Bear Avenue and is a Halloween themed extravaganza designed to entertain the whole family. Proceeds are used to fund youth initiative undertaken by the department, as well as to buy additional safety equipment. (See the website for more information.) Fostering communication between cities and law enforcement officials is very important to Ramsey County Sheriff Matt Bostrom. That is why he makes it a point to attend Gem Lake City Council Meetings several times a year. One of those opportunities to communicate came at the September 16th City Council Meeting, at which Bostom made a presentation on law enforcement activities and trends. Bostrom's presentation highlighted the following area: Community Policing This year's "Night to Unite" Event on August 5 was a great example of citizen involvement in crime prevention efforts. According to Bostom, there were over 160 neighborhood sponsored events in Ramsey County. Each represented a great opportunity for neighbors to meet each other. "It’s a great partnership that we want to continue to foster. It continues to grow." Heroin Epidemic There is continued concern about the spike in heroin use in the Twin Cities area. This has led to a spike in emergency room visits for overdoses, as well as the potential for increases in theft and robbery crimes. Most of the Heroin seems to be coming from Mexico and is very pure, meaning it’s more dangerous. One way citizens can help is to properly dispose of their unused prescriptions, especially narcotics, such as pain killers prescribed after surgery. Often the problem begins when individuals get addicted to these types of drugs and progress to Heroin when they can no longer get the pain killers. Unused prescription drugs can be dropped off at the Sheriff's station in Arden Hills. (see the Ramsey County Website for more information.)