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   Publisher’s note, two candidates vie for Cass County Sheriff, the Press Citizen posed the following five questions.

   1. What experience, leadership qualities, and accomplishments have prepared you to serve as Cass County sheriff, and what makes you the best candidate for the position?

   2. What do you believe are the biggest public safety challenges facing Cass County today, and what specific strategies would you implement to address them during your term?

   3. Recruiting and retaining qualified deputies and staff has become a challenge for many law enforcement agencies. How would you work to attract, retain, and support employees while maintaining a high level of service to county residents?

   4. Public trust is critical to effective law enforcement. How would you foster transparency, accountability, and positive relationships between the Sheriff’s Office and the communities it serves?

   5. If you could change one thing about the current operations of the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, what would it be, and why? Conversely, what is working well that you would continue?

   Candidates responses are listed in the order received.

Sheriff Bryan Welk

   1. Experience and priorities

   My career in law enforcement has always been guided by one goal: serving the people of Cass County. After nearly three decades with the Sheriff’s Office from 911 Telecommunicator and Deputy Sheriff to Sergeant, Lieutenant, Chief Deputy, and Sheriff I understand every level of the organization. Since being elected Sheriff in 2022, I have focused on public safety, employee wellness, fiscal responsibility, and strong community partnerships. We have operated under budget while securing grants for an amphibious rescue vehicle and sonar equipped pontoon without local levy dollars. I also implemented “Check Up From the Neck Up” for employees and advocated successfully for state funding for a new mental health hospital. Looking ahead, I will continue pursuing outside funding, responsibly managing taxpayer dollars, and addressing challenges such as Next Generation 911 and ARMER upgrades.

   2. Biggest public safety challenge

   Illegal narcotics, particularly opioids, remain a significant threat to Cass County, contributing to overdoses, crime, violence, and mental health crises. We have assigned deputies to the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force and Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force to investigate trafficking and hold offenders accountable. Deputies carry Narcan, and we make it available to the public through Cass County Social Services. We also established a multidisciplinary overdose fatality review committee to identify trends and develop prevention strategies. Moving forward, we must combine enforcement with prevention, education, treatment, and strong community partnerships.

   3. Recruiting and retaining employees

   Recruiting and retaining qualified professionals is a priority. Our recruitment team visits colleges, law enforcement programs, and local high schools to showcase opportunities within the Sheriff’s Office, including dispatch, corrections, patrol, investigations, K-9, SWAT, and specialized task forces. We have strengthened wages and benefits through a comprehensive wage study and invested in training, equipment, and employee wellness. These efforts have increased qualified applicants. My goal is to build an organization where employees feel valued, supported, and proud to serve.

   4. Building public trust

   Public trust requires transparency, accountability, communication, and community presence. We participate in National Night Out, township meetings, school activities, Triad, and community events, giving residents opportunities to meet with law enforcement outside emergency situations. Through my monthly Sheriff’s Corner articles, I also communicate about public safety issues and initiatives. I expect every employee to serve with professionalism, respect, integrity, and fairness. Remaining accessible and listening to residents will continue to be priorities.

   5. One change and what is working

   I would improve access to mental health resources for people experiencing crises. Law enforcement too often becomes the default responder when treatment options are limited. Expanding timely access to treatment would improve outcomes while allowing deputies to focus on public safety. Employee wellness is an area working well. Our “Check Up From the Neck Up” program, along with efforts toward more predictable schedules, supports our employees, reduces burnout, and strengthens our ability to provide dependable service.

Deputy Aaron 

Ammerman

   1.  Nearly 23 years of dedicated service right here within the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, has uniquely prepared me to lead this agency. Throughout my career, I have served our community in the patrol division, protected our waterways in the boat and water division, and also in the court security division.

   Furthermore, my time as a member of the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) entrusted me with high-stakes tactical assignments that required rapid, decisive leadership and crisis de-escalation under extreme pressure. But leadership is as much about everyday service as it is about crisis response. Serving as the primary point of contact at our front entrance allowed me to work face-to-face with citizens, helping them directly access vital services and keeping me firmly rooted in the community’s daily needs.

   What makes me the best candidate is this 360-degree, hands-on operational perspective. I offer the voters of Cass County a proven track record of local loyalty, and a deep commitment to leading by example, honor, transparency and accountability. 

   2.  Cass County covers a large geographic area, making it essential for the safety of both our citizens and our deputies that every patrol shift has two-deputy coverage. This is not currently the case, but I believe it can be accomplished with little to no increase in staffing.

   Drug use and drug trafficking also remain significant challenges. I will focus on aggressively investigating and targeting drug dealers while connecting individuals struggling with addiction to available resources. My approach will emphasize enforcement, prevention, and strong partnerships with the community.

   3. Research has shown that employee retention is strongly influenced by the work environment, often even more than compensation. I will foster a workplace where employees feel respected, supported, safe, and valued as members of a team. Improving morale and creating a positive work environment will strengthen retention, which has been decreasing in Cass County, while also making the Sheriff’s Office more attractive to prospective employees. Most importantly, when employees are engaged and supported, the quality of service provided to our community improves as well. It is for this reason that I have received the endorsement of the Teamsters DRIVE MN, which represents employees in the jail, dispatch and records departments.

   4.  I will provide the level of transparency that the citizens of Cass County deserve. I also believe accountability begins with leadership. I will ensure that all members of the administration use the same marked squad vehicles and are GPS tracked, just like every other deputy, because we are all accountable to the people we serve.

   I will also prioritize community engagement throughout every area of the county and with residents of all ages to strengthen trust and build positive relationships between the Sheriff’s Office and the communities it serves.

   5.  I would put the people first. The citizens of Cass County deserve to know that their tax dollars are being spent responsibly and that their Sheriff’s Office is operating with their best interests in mind. They deserve to know that their deputies, administrators, and elected sheriff are serving with integrity, honor, and a commitment to public service.

   For many years, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office has provided valuable programs such as snowmobile safety, ATV safety, firearm safety, and School Resource Officer programs. These are important services that benefit our community, and I look forward to continuing and expanding them.

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