Sheriff’s sergeant named top cop

The Exchange Club of Steele County named Sr. Sgt. Bill Youngquist of the Steele County Sheriff’s Office as “Peace Officer of the Year” during its regular meeting on Friday.
Youngquist began his career in law enforcement in 1997 as a patrol officer with the sheriff’s office.  Today, he supervises the daily activities of the deputies in the department and performs all of the duties of a deputy.
“I didn’t go into the military and wanted to serve in some way,” said Youngquist.
During his 23 years with the department, the most significant change is in the training required, said Youngquist.  And that’s something he knows quite a bit about – he helped implement the department’s field training program and is responsible for the department’s training manual.
“When I started, it was all learn as it comes to you,” said Youngquist, adding that in those early days, the training manual was 20 pages. Today, he said, it’s 400 pages and it’s part of his job to make sure the manual meets state standards and best practices.
Citing an uptick in calls that involve mental health issues and meth, Youngquist said, officers are trained not to press a situation.
“Usually, they are holding themselves hostage,” said Youngquist, adding that deputies are trained annually on ways to de-escalate those situations.
“If it’s predictable, it’s preventable,” said Youngquist.
Youngquist has been responsible for firearms instruction, a member of the department’s SWAT team and the department’s vehicle forfeitures.
As for enhancements, Youngquist puts having a computer in the squad car and having access to the internet at the top of his list.
When asked about the demonization of police officers, Youngquist said: “We are working in small-town USA, not the metro area. Here, people wave at us. We are not in the cesspool.”
“It’s been a tough year for law enforcement,” Exchange Club President Mike Brown said as he presented Youngquist with the club’s honor. “It’s important to recognize the  work they (law enforcement) do day in and day out.”
In accepting the award, Youngquist thanked his family. “My working nights, weekends and holidays, isn’t their favorite part of my job,” he said.
“They are the ones who make the ultimate sacrifice.”