Sexual assault, burglary, domestic violence spike amid officer shortage

Update: This article has been updated to contain the accurate data for years 2021 and 2023.

Lonsdale Police Chief Jason Schmitz sarcastically gave “thanks to the Defund the Police Movement” for the recent shortage of new police officers during his annual report to the Lonsdale City Council Thursday evening.

Schmitz’s department has been looking to fill a full-time position for months and, since September, his report said the department has gotten a single application. The lack of newcomers in the field comes in tandem with an increase in incidents reported to the department since 2021.

Police departments across the country have faced difficulty recruiting police officers in recent years. In Minnesota alone, more than 1,000 positions currently sit vacant.

Since one officer left for the Rice County Sheriff’s Office last year, the local department has sought a full-time replacement. At the same time it has seen difficulty filling the open spot, the total number of incidents reported to the department has jumped.

In fact, 529 more total incidents were reported to the department in 2023 than in 2021. However, the only stats in the category “crimes against person or property” that fell from 2021 were theft and vandalism, while others remained consistent or even fell.

It might be worth noting the security cameras that were installed at Lonsdale’s parks following a spike in vandalism seemed to have worked, according to Schmitz. Since installing the cameras, he said they’ve seen near-total elimination in vandalism at the parks.

“We did have a vandalism incident at the park where we used the cameras to help identify the suspect who opted to paint the bathroom instead of be charged, which was great because I’d rather see him paint the bathroom than see him go through the court process,” he said. “I think there’s more value in that. And besides, he did a great job from what I hear, right?”

Lonsdale Public Works Director Joe Dornfeld confirmed.

“He really did,” Dornfeld said. “His dad was there crackin’ the whip.”

Councilor Kevin Kodada was among the group to laugh before he noted the youth would “probably never do that again.”

The Faribault Police Department has largely managed to avoid the officer shortage, a phenomenon that could be attributable to its community engagement efforts, according to its leadership and one of its newer, younger members.

Lonsdale Police Department has also increased its community engagement efforts. Particularly, the Badges and Bobbers event has connected local youth with officers of the department for an annual fishing trip last year.

Not only that, the department has participated in the meals-on-wheels program offered through Three Rivers Community Action. It has several other events and programs highlighted in the report as well.

“We just received a certificate of recognition this year from Three Rivers Community Action for our participation in that meals on wheels,” Schmitz said. “So that was great.”