Monday | 6/02/2025

**All Courses will be held in Pine Ballroom 2 & 3 – Lower Level, unless otherwise noted**

"State Agency Updates" | 8:15 AM - 9:15 AM

Location: Pine Ballroom 2 & 3, Lower Level

Description: This presentation will include an update from the Department of Public Safety, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the State Patrol, and the Department of Natural Resources.

Presenters:

DPS Commissioner Bob Jacobson, BCA Superintendent Drew Evans, and State Patrol Colonel Christina Bogojevic, and DNR Colonel Rodmen Smith, and AC John Cunningham

DPS Commissioner Bob Jacobson was appointed the 15^th commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety by Gov. Tim Walz in January 2023. Prior to his appointment, Jacobson served as the interim deputy assistant commissioner in the Department of Human Services.

Previously, he served for more than 33 years in active law enforcement including 16 years as the director of public safety/chief of police for the City of New Brighton where he led their police, fire, and emergency management operations. He also served as interim police chief for the City of Stillwater during a leadership transition. Jacobson also served as the interim inspector general for the Department of Human Services. He served as the professional development director for the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association, coordinating and implementing statewide and regional training and conferences for the Association.

Jacobson has a B.A. from Bethel University in Organizational Leadership and attended the Senior Management Institute for Police conducted by the Police Executive Research Forum.

BCA Superintendent Drew Evans was named the Superintendent of the BCA in 2015. Prior to this role, Evans worked for the BCA Investigations Division: Homicide Unit as a special agent and senior special agent, where he conducted and oversaw violent crime investigations throughout Minnesota. He served as the BCA Assistant Superintendent since 2012. Evans also served as a police officer for the city of White Bear Lake, where he held a variety of roles, last as a detective, prior to joining the BCA.

Evans is a graduate of Metropolitan State University and received his Juris Doctor from William Mitchell College of Law. He is an alumnus of the FBI National Academy, has completed the IACP Leadership in Police Organizations program, and is a graduate of the BCA Management Series.

Evans serves on the Minnesota POST Board, the Violent Crime Coordinating Council, the U.S. Attorney's Project Safe Neighborhoods Steering Committee, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) - Police Investigative Operations Committee, the Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies (ASCIA) - Use of Force Investigations Committee and is vice-chair of the North Central High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).

State Patrol Colonel Christina Bogojevic has been with the Minnesota State Patrol since 2003.

Prior to being named Colonel in April 2024, she held positions including lieutenant colonel, captain of the Rochester district, mobile response commander, lieutenant in the commercial vehicle section, investigator, recruiter, instructor, academy staff trooper, and crash reconstruction specialist.

She currently co-leads the State Patrol 30x30 initiative and is a member of IACP.

Colonel Bogojevic has an associate's degree in law enforcement from Rochester Community and Technical College and a bachelor's degree in political science with a concentration in campaign management from Southern New Hampshire University.

DNR Colonel Rodmen Smith has served as Minnesota’s DNR Enforcement Director since January 2016. Prior to this, Colonel Smith held the positions of Assistant Director, Operations Major, Regional captain, District Supervisor, and Conservation Officer with the DNR.

He graduated with a Master of Arts in Public Administration from the Minnesota State University - Mankato, along with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice/with Speech Communication from St. Cloud State University.

ECN Assistant Commissioner John Cunningham has more than 25 years of public safety experience and most recently served as the fire chief and emergency management director for the city of Brooklyn Park. He was also the president of the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association for three terms.

Prior to moving to Minnesota in 2009 to serve as the Elk River fire chief, Assistant Commissioner Cunningham was a volunteer firefighter in Greenwich, Connecticut and held the rank of district chief. He was also a member of the town's technical rescue and dive team, and a specialist with the state's urban search and rescue team.

Cunningham earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Fairfield University, along with a Master of Science in homeland security leadership from the University of Connecticut. He also holds a certificate in collaborative leadership in homeland security from the University of Connecticut.

"ECN Update" | 9:15 AM - 9:45 AM

Location: Pine Ballroom 2 & 3, Lower Level

Description: This presentation will provide recent updates from the Minnesota ECN Director Leah Palmer

Presenter: Leah Palmer is the director of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Emergency Communication Networks (ECN) division. Director Palmer has 15 years of public service experience, including in positions with the Minneapolis Police Department, City of Minneapolis, City of Brooklyn Park and with Metro Transit.

Before joining ECN, Director Palmer worked for Metro Transit, managing its Transit Rider Investment Program. In that role, Palmer led the effort to create a team of agents dedicated to working with law enforcement and other transit officials to improve the rider experience. TRIP agents ensure fare compliance, connect people with needed resources and help to enforce Metro Transit’s Code of Conduct.

She holds a Master of Public Affairs from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and an Executive Certificate in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.

"MSA General Updates" | 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM

Location: Pine Ballroom 2 & 3, Lower Level

Description: An overview of current and future initiatives happening at the MSA.

Presenter: MSA Executive Director Jim Stuart

"Sheriff's Roundtable" | 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Location: Pine Ballroom 2 & 3, Lower Level

Description: Rick Hodsdon will discuss timely and pertinent topics facing Sheriffs and Sheriffs’ Offices involving data practices, personnel matters, criminal prosecution, and civil litigation.

Presenter:

Rick Hodsdon, MSA General Legal Counsel spent 33 years with the Washington County Attorney’s Office in Stillwater, Minnesota, where he was assigned to several divisions and served ten years as the first assistant. Then, and now, Rick deals with numerous aspects of government operations including data practices, HIPAA, the sheriff’s office, personnel matters and criminal prosecution, gun laws, and civil litigation. Rick has also been the Minnesota Sheriffs' Association legal counsel since 1987. Rick is on the faculty of Northwestern University Police Command School and teaches throughout the United States on matters of employment law and criminal justice issues. He is also an executive member of the National Sheriff's Association Legal Affairs Committee and works with and advises several other national law enforcement and legal organizations.

Rick has a J.D. and master’s degree in public administration and is admitted to practice before the courts of Minnesota, 8th Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court.

"Legislative Updates" | 12:30 PM - 1:45 PM

Description: This presentation includes updates from the recent 2025 legislative session.

Presenter: Christine Zimmer and Bill Hutton

Christine Zimmer established Zimmer Consulting, LLC in 2016. Christine has over 30 years of experience in all aspects of government relations. She provides strategic planning, government relations services and other political consulting.

Bill Hutton is a seasoned public safety professional with over four decades of experience in law enforcement, government affairs, and community-based public service. He currently serves as a Government Affairs Specialist for the Minnesota Sheriffs’ Association, where he provides subject matter expertise on law enforcement policy and advocates for public safety on behalf of Minnesota’s 87 elected Sheriffs.

Prior to this role, Hutton was the Executive Director of the Minnesota Sheriffs’ Association from 2017 to 2023, where he led statewide legislative initiatives, coordinated educational programming, and provided direct support to Sheriffs and their staff. From 2007 to 2017, he was the elected Sheriff of Washington County, overseeing a full-service agency with more than 400 personnel (Full-time and volunteer) and managing key public safety initiatives for a county of over 250,000 residents.

Earlier in his career, Hutton served as a Police Captain in Oakdale, Minnesota, and as Executive Director of the Forest Lake Area Youth Service Bureau, where he worked to connect youth and families with needed services and early intervention.

Hutton holds a Master of Arts in Public Safety and Education from the University of St. Thomas and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. He also earned a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin–River Falls.

"General Business Meeting" | 2:00 PM- 4:00 PM

Location: Pine Ballroom 2 & 3 (Lower Level)

Description: Current and ongoing issues affecting Minnesota Sheriffs’ Offices will be discussed. General Business Meeting Agenda

James Stuart, MSA Executive Director