Scott Goddard And Pat Pickar Race To Become Next Crow Wing County Sheriff

On Tuesday, voters in Crow Wing County will head to the polls and vote for who they would like to be their next sheriff: Scott Goddard or Pat Pickar.

“I started out in law enforcement about 24 years ago, and you always aspire to do better and I’m very proud about how I’ve been able to work up from patrol deputy to sergeant, lieutenant, and then the current captain,” said Crow Wing County Sheriff candidate Scott Goddard.

“I believe the job of sheriff is more than enforcing laws. It’s really about being part of the community. I think with what I’ve done in the community, volunteering, being active and engaged in our community, I have a pulse in what’s going on,” said Crow Wing County Sheriff candidate Pat Pickar.

Both candidates are lifelong residents of Crow Wing County and have a wide variety of experience.

“I started at the Breezy Point Police Department, came down to the Sheriff’s Office. For a very short time [I] went back to Breezy and then back to Crow Wing and worked patrol division for a number of years. Moved up to sergeant where I took care of the boat and water division, and then lieutenant where I took care of our patrol and our communications, and then captain,” explained Goddard.

“I’ve been at the Sheriff’s Office for over twenty years serving in every division and capacity there is in the Sheriff’s Office. I also have the training experience of police management and leadership, leadership academy, and officer leadership development, which has given me the opportunity to be the deputy chief of the city of Cuyuna and serve our citizens on the east side of Crow Wing County,” explained Pickar.

They both have unique values that they want to bring to the Sheriff’s Office.

“The unique perspective that I’m going to bring to the Sheriff’s Office is what I’ve done in the community, being active and engaged. It’s important for our sheriff to be engaged in our community, but it’s more important for that we’re going to try and get our whole Sheriff’s Office engaged and inspired to serve,” said Pickar.

“Really, I’m running on my experience. I’m very proud of my track record, my involvement with the community, our partnership and our collaboration, and that’s really what we need for law enforcement is a strong leader moving us forward,” added Goddard.

Though they might have different ideas for the office, they have one thing in common – their love for the area and Crow Wing County.

“We have so much to offer here. We get to live in an area where people come to vacation. We have everything. We have the businesses. We have the homes. We have the lakes,” added Pickar. “We have the farm fields for hunting.”

“At Crow Wing County, not just the Sheriff’s Office, but at Crow Wing County, all of our personnel, we’re very proud of what we provide, the services that we provide to our serving public, if you will – whether you be a resident or a visitor,” said Goddard. “And we want to keep our community safe and we’re very proud we’re able to do that.”

The candidate who wins the general election will take office on January 1, 2019 replacing the current sheriff, Todd Dahl, who is retiring.