School resource officer returns to deputy work

The resource officer at Luverne and Hills-Beaver Creek public schools will return to patrol duties next month.
A shortage of deputies is prompting Sheriff Evan Verbrugge to shift school resource officer Jeff Stratton back to the day-shift patrol.
“I was trying to do everything to keep Officer Stratton in the schools, but we are struggling — like most law enforcement agencies and other occupations — with hiring,” Verbrugge said. “Stratton will work the dayshift and will be able to stop in the schools while working, but his main focus will be patrol and not the SRO at this point in time.”
Prior to starting as SRO in Luverne and Hills-Beaver Creek schools in August, Stratton was on the patrol force.
Verbrugge is working to fill three deputy positions.
On Monday, long-term deputy Michael Westerbur, retires after serving more than 16 years with the Rock County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputy Jonathon Stearns left Rock County in July for a position with the Minnesota State Patrol. Stearns recently graduated from the MSP academy.
Deputy Craig Martinson informed Verbrugge in July of plans to retire this year.
“Deputy Martinson was scheduled to retire Dec. 31st of this year, but has graciously stated that he will stay on until we are able to hire, train and put new deputies out on patrol,” he said. “It is unknown when this will happen.”
The county is advertising the open positions and conducted several interviews. But after background checks, none of the candidates were accepted.
“Our office is not going to take someone just to fill a need,” Verbrugge said. “We still want and need to accept individuals with character and empathy for the citizens that we work for.”
Verbrugge said there are 109 job openings for law enforcement officers in the state.
“I read that Minneapolis used to get close to 250 applications for openings and now they are only getting approximately 50,” he said. “It is tough everywhere, not just Rock County, with hiring, but I could not keep burdening the deputies with working more hours than they already have. It was wearing everyone out.”