Voters in Washington County will choose a new sheriff in Tuesday's general election, with Ramsey County Sheriff's Office Cmdr. Jeremy Bolen facing Stillwater Police Chief Brian Mueller. The two were the top finishers in the August primary, ahead of Henry Mathia of Woodbury, who has worked for the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office for 14 years.
The seat is open because Sheriff Dan Starry, appointed in 2017 and elected in 2018 and 2022, announced last year that he would not seek a third term. The Pioneer Press recently spoke with both candidates about their priorities, backgrounds and views on Flock Safety cameras and automated license plate readers.
The Washington County Sheriff's Office does not currently use automated license plate readers, which have drawn controversy in many communities. Bolen, 45, of Cottage Grove, said the readers can help law enforcement catch criminals, recover stolen vehicles and find vulnerable or missing people. He said trust depends on transparency about what the cameras collect, who can access the data, who receives it, how long it is kept and who audits and oversees the system.
Bolen said he would eliminate front-line access, and he would support a 7-day retention period and a biweekly audit. He also said he would demand weekly public reports on camera activity and would not sign new contracts without community input through town halls or advisory boards.
Mueller, 53, of Lake Elmo, said he supports responsible use of the cameras and readers as investigative tools for solving serious crimes, identifying stolen vehicles, locating people who pose a threat and finding missing persons. He said clear policies must govern access, retention, sharing and accountability. If elected, he has "no intention at this time of introducing them into areas where the sheriff's office has primary patrol responsibility," though he would stay open to future needs based on public safety benefits, community input and privacy safeguards.
On priorities, Bolen pointed to rebuilding safe staffing levels in patrol, corrections and dispatch, improving recruitment and retention, and ensuring manageable workloads, training and resources. He also named expanded mental-health and substance-use services and stronger transparency and oversight. Mueller listed reducing violent crime, strengthening responses to mental-health and substance-use challenges, supporting employees and providing community-focused service.
Mueller, a lifelong county resident, said experience is the main difference between them. He became Stillwater's police chief in January 2021 and oversees a $6 million budget and 29 sworn officers. Before that he was chief deputy at the Washington County Sheriff's Office starting in 2017, running day-to-day operations for a department whose budget he said has grown from $47 million to $56 million. He began his career in 1998 with the White Bear Lake Police Department, and says he has endorsements from every police chief in the county and from Starry. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of St. Thomas. He and his wife, Lori Mueller, have five children.
Bolen leads administrative services for the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office, where he has been a full-time deputy since 2010 after starting as a reserve deputy in 2004. His background spans patrol, investigations support, corrections, emergency management, water patrol and budgeting. A native of Aurora, Minn., he holds an associate's degree from Hibbing Community College and earlier worked security for the State Patrol at the State Capitol and at a Minnesota Department of Military Affairs facility.
Bolen said he would represent county residents and would not "bend and fold for the county board." He said he would challenge the status quo on issues he believes the community wants addressed. He has one son and lives with his partner, Dillon Gherna.
