Public Safety Services
Commanded by Major Shane Magnuson
911 Dispatch Division
The sheriff’s office operates the Emergency Communications Facility (ECF) in Plymouth. The center handles over 600,000 emergency and non-emergency calls each year. Emergency calls include fires, accidents, crimes, and health crises.
The ECF is one of the largest consolidated dispatch centers in the upper Midwest. It handles calls for over 50 law enforcement agencies, fire departments, and emergency medical service providers.
The ECF also houses a radio system that allows direct communication between different law enforcement agencies.
Enforcement Services Division
K9 Unit
We work with our K9 (dog) partners to track missing persons, catch suspects, search buildings, search for evidence, find illegal drugs, and sweep for explosives.
Patrol Unit
Sheriff’s patrol provides emergency response throughout the county. Patrol deputies also provides primary law enforcement to Greenfield, Hanover Medicine Lake, Rockford, Fort Snelling, 133rd Minnesota Air National Guard, 934th U.S. Air Force Air Wing, and U.S. Marine Corp/Navy Reserves.
Special Operations Unit
This unit coordinates preparation and response to sudden events requiring large-scale law enforcement response. These include active shooters and other threats, emergencies, natural disasters, civil unrest, and large public events. We also provide other agencies with training, personnel, and equipment for these types of events.
We respond to events like hostage rescue, barricaded suspects, and high-risk arrest warrants. Our goal is to achieve peaceful solutions to dangerous situations.
We are trained and equipped to respond to events in the county that involve weapons of mass destruction or hazardous materials.
Transportation Unit
This unit brings inmates to hearings and convicted inmates to correctional facilities. We also take mental health patients to court hearings or treatment facilities. Each year, we transport more than 12,000 inmates and mental health patients.
Water Patrol Unit
Hennepin County has 3 rivers and more than 100 lakes. We patrol waterways, respond to water-related events, and perform rescues on all lakes and rivers in the county. We also issue permits for temporary water structures and planned water events. Water patrol services
Other Enforcement Services Division Units
- HSEU - Hospital Security Unit
- Special Deputy Unit (VSD)