Dakota County manager remembers Farmington officer Pete Zajac, urges mental-health awareness
November 04, 2025 | Dakota County, Minnesota
This article was created by AI summarizing key points discussed. AI makes mistakes, so for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting. Please report any errors so we can fix them. Report an error »
The manager recounted Zajac 's municipal service record and community roles, noting he had worked in parks and trails earlier in his career, served as a correctional deputy, worked as a school resource officer for the Farmington school district for the last two years, and was active as a youth coach. "Officer Zajac was first hired actually by Sheriff Liko, and worked in parks and trails before continuing on in a career in our correctional deputy and then Fayetteville police officer and then Farmington police officer," the manager said.
The manager said Zajac left behind his wife and three children and that his death came nearly eight years after a previous law-enforcement suicide in the region. The manager urged colleagues and residents to remember that resources are available in local police departments and the county sheriff's office and invoked Men's Health Awareness Month as a reminder that "emotions matter." The manager announced funeral arrangements in Hastings and asked the community to keep Zajac 's family, colleagues and others affected in their thoughts.
The board heard the tribute near the end of its Nov. 4 meeting; no formal action was taken beyond the announcement.
View full meeting
This article is based on a recent meeting—watch the full video and explore the complete transcript for deeper insights into the discussion.
View full meetingSponsors
Proudly supported by sponsors who keep Minnesota articles free in 2025
