Board approves distribution of retired sheriff badges through employee-recognition program

The Carver County sheriff requested a one-time policy exception to allocate retired sheriff badges—items made surplus after a state seal and badge redesign—to deputies as tokens of recognition rather than disposing of them.

The sheriff said badges taken out of service are generally retained for reissue or disposed of when no longer serviceable. He proposed returning old badges to the deputies who last wore them as part of an employee-recognition program, noting legal constraints around resale or misuse and describing the internal value of the items as keepsakes. County legal counsel reported research and said the requested exception was permissible if structured to comply with state law and county policy. "We were researched it, and it would have been easier if the legislature would have just encompassed everyone," counsel said, but that counsel felt comfortable with the recommendation.

Commissioner Fahey moved to approve distribution of the retired sheriff badges through the employee-recognition program; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. The board discussed whether a future policy change should allow retirees to retain badges on departure and asked staff to consider that separately; the approved action covered the current retired-badge stock and the recognition program.