Sheriff to seek another term

While there may be a mass exodus of peace officers leaving the profession across the state, Steele County’s top law enforcement official is quite comfortable right where he’s at and wants to serve another term.
Sheriff Lon Thiele announced this week he is running for a fourth term in this fall’s election.
“I love this job, and I’m not ready to retire,” said Thiele, who has been sheriff since 2011. “I’m vested in this community, and I have no reason to leave.”
Thiele, 55, has been in law enforcement for 31 years, and he has found the past four years as being the most challenging of his career. His office has been dealing with a worldwide pandemic, on-going budget constraints and the influx of racial issues from the Twin Cities area highlighted by the killing of George Floyd.
Despite the challenges the police profession is facing right now, Thiele said his office is handling the storm as best as it can. “As long as we are doing the right thing, it will keep us in good with the people,” he said.
As sheriff, Thiele has immersed himself into the community. “I involve myself in as many community organizations as I can,” he said, noting he currently serves on no less than 15 organizations on the local, state and federal levels.
As an example, Thiele recently took on the role as president of the Blooming Prairie Foundation. “My commitment is to everyone in the county,” he said.
During his latest term in office, Thiele has been elected to the executive board of the Minnesota Sheriff’s Association. He will become the association’s president in 2026, the first time Steele County has been represented on the state level since former sheriff Bill Hildebrandt served in 1996. 
Last April he was elected to the executive board of FBI-LEEDA, which is a non-profit organization focused on advancing the science and art of law enforcement leadership.
He said he has become instrumental in the state and national boards to help get rid of law enforcement’s black eye. “Knowing I have a voice on most of these boards will help prevent problems like in the Twin Cities,” Thiele said.
Asked how he keeps his schedule straight, Thiele smiled and pointed to the Mountain Dew can next to him. “I like to lead by example,” he said. “As sheriff, you have to be one for the people.”
Throughout the past four years, Thiele has been focused on his budget. He has sliced nearly a half million dollars off his capital improvement plan over the next eight years by taking advantage of various grants and other programs offered as a result of COVID-19.
Some of the highlights include $263,000 for portable radios, $83,000 for a pick-up and emergency response trailer, $42,000 for portable cell sense detectors at the jail, $41,000 for lifesaving AED machines and $41,000 for a decontamination robot. All of those came at no cost to local taxpayers.
“I’m always looking for ways to save the county money,” Thiele said.
The veteran sheriff has also been able to re-instate the K-9 program through community donations. He chose to go with a non-aggressive dog, which offers tracking and narcotic enforcement, but does not bite anyone. “It’s working better than it ever has,” he said of the K-9 program.
The sheriff’s office added a School Resource Officer to Medford School last fall after receiving a federal grant that covers 75% of the cost for three years. The remaining 25% is split between the county and school district.
While Minneapolis and St. Paul have been plagued with record violent crime, it’s quite the opposite in Steele County. Thiele points to the overall crime rate, which is down in the county, and violent crime has been nearly nonexistent.
One of the greatest tests came last year during the Steele County Free Fair, which Thiele’s office is responsible for protecting. Other neighboring counties experienced issues at their fairs.
“We stepped up law enforcement at the fair after what happened in Olmsted County,” Thiele said. “There are a lot of logistics to keep public safety at an event of this magnitude,” he said, adding Steele County lowered calls for service and issues at the fair.
Others have taken notice. KFAN-Radio, for example, named Steele County as the best fair in Minnesota last year. “This comes from a lot of team work from fair staff and logistics of law enforcement,” Thiele said.
Thiele, who supervises 24 sworn deputies, is proud of his department’s training. “I’m always providing the necessary training and education for my deputies within my budget to ensure public safety,” he said.
He noted his office is not as hands on as it once was. “We have gone from hands-on use of force training to training that focuses on today’s issues. It’s de-escalation talk instead of hands-on,” he said, adding much of the training now focuses on mental health disorders.
“I will put our training up against anyone in the state,” Thiele said. “We have phenomenal tactical instructors that teach everything needed in today’s changing law enforcement.”
As Thiele aims to make Steele County the safest around, he isn’t afraid to take a page from Andy Griffith TV Show and Mayberry.
“It’s not just about driving around and waiting for a call,” Thiele said. “It’s about getting out to talk to people like Andy Griffith did. I’m a firm believer in presence is power. Being visible to the public.”
Thiele and his wife, Brooke, have two daughters and live south of Owatonna.
No one has announced that they will challenge Thiele in this year’s election. Filing for local and state offices begins in May.