Staffing changes announced at Sheriff’s Office

There have been a number of staffing changes at the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office.
Ryer Anderson, a former Patrol Captain for the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, has been promoted to Chief Deputy to replace Mike Leonhardt who retired this month after 34 years of service.   Anderson graduated from Mankato State University in 2002 and was hired by Sheriff Gary Thompson as a full-time patrol deputy in 2003. 
Anderson was promoted to Patrol Sergeant in 2012, and then to Captain in late 2013 replacing the late Captain Loring Guenther who died on September 10, 2013.  
“Ryer has been a key member of our administration here for many years as Captain and helped navigate this agency through some very difficult times when we lost Captain Guenther, and during the campaign year of 2014. I would be lost without his knowledge, experience, and advice here,” said Sheriff Scott Rose.
Jeff Espinosa, former Patrol Sergeant for the office, has been promoted to Patrol Captain to fill the vacancy left by Chief Deputy Anderson. 
Jeff graduated from Rochester Community and Technical College with his law enforcement degree in 2001. He worked briefly for Grand Meadow Police Department and the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center before being hired by Sheriff Thompson in late 2003. He served as a full-time Patrol Deputy, Field Training Officer, and managed the Training Program for years before being promoted to Sergeant in 2011.   
“Jeff does a great job here at our office. He and I have worked our entire careers together starting with being classmates at RCTC so we’ve known each other for over 20 years. He does a tremendous job managing our training programs here and will be a huge asset to our administrative staff,” Rose said.
Captain Espinosa’s Sergeant position was filled by Deputy Jeff Brion.
Jeff earned his degree in Psychology and Sociology at the University of North Dakota in 2000 and his law enforcement certificate for Minnesota at Rochester Community and Technical College in 2008. He previously worked as a Probation Officer for Olmsted County. 
He was hired here as a Deputy in 2008 by Sheriff Thompson and has served the office as a full-time patrol deputy, as our Crime Prevention Specialist, and as our hostage negotiator.  
“Jeff brings a lot of experience to our supervisory staff and has been assigned to supervise Court/Building Security. He will continue his other responsibilities including serving as our Crime Prevention Specialist, hostage negotiator, and will also work with Policy Management,” Rose said.     
“We are very blessed to have such an amazing staff serving here in Dodge County,” Rose said. “I couldn’t ask for a more professional and dedicated team of men and women to serve alongside.”