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Sheriff's office reports rising call volume, two snowmobile fatalities and staffing updates ahead of American Birkebeiner
Summary
Lieutenant reported increased calls for service compared with last year, two recent snowmobile fatalities attributed to speed and alcohol, and that two part-time deputies completed field training and will staff shifts during the American Birkebeiner.
The Sawyer County sheriff’s office told the Public Safety Committee that calls for service are up compared with the previous year and that deputies are preparing for the American Birkebeiner.
"As you can see from our report, our call volume has increased," the lieutenant said, providing a three-month trend that included November at about 804 calls, December 530, and an early-year figure cited at roughly 794. The lieutenant said the department issued 42 traffic citations, 12 written warnings and 16 non-traffic citations during the reporting period, and reported 22 crashes with 11 personal-injury crashes and no additional fatalities recorded in the community-maps data.
The report listed two recent snowmobile fatalities. Committee members asked about locations and causes; speakers identified one incident near Lost Land Lake and another on a flowage by Big Musky, and witnesses cited alcohol and speed as contributing factors.
The lieutenant also announced two part-time patrol deputies, Nicholas Pompuch and Madison Waller, completed their 12-week field training and are available to fill patrol shifts; both are expected to work during the American Birkebeiner.
No vote or policy action resulted from the report; members thanked staff and moved to the next agenda item.
