Patrol Division

Our new E-bikes have arrived! 

Officers assigned to bike patrol are trained in:

• proper tactics 
• bike handling limits 
• techniques related to patrol response on a bike.

The primary focus of the bike patrol is to emphasize patrol efforts in our downtown area, parks, trails, and targeted crime areas. Although it is an E-bike, officers will still pedal without any assist or use the full assist if they need to respond to an incident that requires physical exertion by the officer upon arrival. The bikes have a 50 mile range on a full charge and can travel up to 30 mph.

The purpose of the Chaplaincy Program is to bring another level of police service to the community by providing immediate care and compassion to any person or family grieving the loss of life or property. 

Services Performed

Chaplains are volunteer city employees that provide non-denomination care, spiritual guidance and counseling on an emergency call-out basis. Chaplains have special gifts, skills, education, and experiences to assist citizens and first responders manage crisis situations such as:

• Death investigations
• Fatality accidents
• Line of duty death and serious injury
• Loss of a loved one as a result of a medical emergency
• Next of kin death notifications
• Serious personal injury
• Structure fires

The Chaplains also provide this service to all department employees and their immediate families. Chaplains are a branch of the patrol division and each member is expected to be engaged in the agency through participation in ride-alongs, roll call briefings, in-service training sessions and many other police-community based programs.

Community Service Officers (CSOs) are uniformed, unarmed, civilian members of the Owatonna Police Department that engage in a variety of law enforcement/community-related services including: 

• animal control/complaints 
• parking enforcement 
• traffic control 
• private property accidents 
• motorist assists 
• ordinance enforcement 

CSOs usually handle non-criminal, lower priority calls which do not require a licensed police officer with arrest powers, essentially freeing our licensed officers to concentrate on those incidents requiring their specific skill sets. CSOs are considered a blessing for both the department and community they serve—they are often the department members seen leading a parade, funeral procession, or giving a squad and facility tour. The CSO program is a very successful, cost effective program that allows the Owatonna Police Department to continue providing several quality of life service services to the citizens of our community. 

The Crime Scene Technician program includes patrol officers and detectives. Crime Scene Technicians are trained in the following:

• Basic crime scene reconstruction
• Crime scene photography
• Footwear evidence
• Latent print development and recovery
• Recovery of biological evidence
• Trace evidence recovery

The field training and evaluation process of any police department is a critical component of any successful police department. It ensures that the employer has sufficient opportunity to directly observe and certify that a newly hired officer has the essential job-related knowledge and skills to be an effective solo police officer.

A sergeant is the coordinator of the field officer training program. New officers are put through an extensive sixteen week, four-phase field training and evaluation period, in which they are evaluated on a daily basis in ten areas of core competency. Each newly hired officer spends time working at least one training phase during a day, evening, and night shift.

Included during this period is the fourth and final phase in which the field training officer rides along in plain clothes and acts as an observer to the probationary officer. Upon successful completion of the four phase field training, new officers are certified for solo patrol duties and remain as probationary officers through their first year of employment.

K9 Vegas joined the ranks at the Owatonna Police Department in July 2019 at just 13 months old after making the journey from Slovakia. He is a German Shepherd and is assigned to his handler, Officer Casey Martin. The team attended a 10 week academy in Buffalo, MN at Performance Kennels. Vegas is a dual certified K9 in patrol work and drug detection.

Law Enforcement Exploring is a worksite-based career education program for young adults. The program was developed through Learning for Life and the Boy Scouts of America.

Law Enforcement is a highly visible profession that can be both glamorized and distorted by our society. The program seeks to match young adults interested in law enforcement careers with Posts that provide exposure, hands-on experience, and real career information and knowledge.  

Law Enforcement Skills Development

• career opportunities
• life skills
• service learning
• character education
• leadership experience.

Explorer training covers the basic skills needed to be law enforcement professionals.  

After completing the law enforcement explorer training throughout the year, explorers participate in an annual statewide competition against other Explorer Posts.     

Explorers receive training in the following areas:

• investigating motor vehicle crashes
• emergency medical care
• traffic stops
• active shooter
• domestic crisis intervention
• search and arrest
• bomb threat
• burglary in progress
• hostage negotiations

Prospective applicants should be: 

• age 14 and eighth grade graduate, or ages 15-20
• interested in law enforcement 
• be service oriented
• complete a short program application
• successfully complete a background investigation
• have a GPA of 2.0 or better
• drug free

APPLY NOW!  Applications can be submitted to Officer Michael or Detective Quinlan.

• Explorers Youth Application (ages 14-17)
• Explorers Adult Application (ages 18-20)

Objectives

The objectives of the Reserve Officer Program are as follows:

• To cooperate with and assist the police department in the enforcement of law and order under the direction and orders of the Chief of Police during any and all emergencies declared by the Chief to exist within the City of Owatonna
• To render services under mutual aid as ordered by the Chief
• To render volunteer police service upon occasions when, in the opinion of the Chief, such augmentation to the regular department is essential to the public welfare and safety
• To function in any community service events or programs in which the Chief requests volunteer involvement
• To maintain an on-going training program
• To preserve and upgrade skills necessary to perform as Reserve Officers

Requirements

Requirements to become and Owatonna Police Department Reserve Officer are:

• File a written application on the form prescribed and furnished by the City of Owatonna
• Be a citizen of the United States
• Be at least 18 years of age
• Possess a valid Minnesota Driver’s License and have a good driving record
• Have a high school diploma or equivalency certificate
• Submit to fingerprinting, background check, oral interviews and/or any other type of examination and/or testing as may be prescribed by the Chief of Police
• Be in general good health

About the Team

The Tactical Team is a law enforcement support unit, which is specifically trained and equipped to resolve critical high-risk situations. The 25 team members are selected from law enforcement agencies within Faribault, Freeborn, Steele, and Waseca counties. Each agency is responsible for equipping the assigned officer.

Oversight

The SCDIU Tactical Team is overseen by the SCDIU Board. This board consists of chief law enforcement officers from each of the represented agencies.