Jason Dingman named next Stevens County Sheriff

MORRIS -- The Stevens County Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 to appoint Stevens County Sheriff's Department Deputy Jason Dingman the next sheriff of Stevens County at their meeting Tuesday.

Commissioners Larry Sayre, Jeanne Ennen and Paul Watzke voted for Dingman, while Commissioners Phil Gausman and Ron Staples voted against his appointment.

Dingman has worked law enforcement in Stevens County since 1992 when he was hired by then-Sheriff Sayre as a reserve deputy. He was hired to work full time for the sheriff's office since 1996 and has been working in Stevens County since.

Dingman currently serves as one of three rotating chief deputies for Sheriff Randy Willis. During his time with the sheriff's office, Dingman helped found and organize West Central SWAT and been involved with the department's switch to new dispatch and radio technologies.

During the interview process, both Gausman and Staples were vocal in their support of a outside candidate, Bob Bushman, who most recently served as the Statewide Gang and Drug Coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, retiring in October 2012. Bushman has also served as a special agent with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and a state trooper with the Minnesota State Patrol.

Dingman will take over as sheriff following Willis' resignation effective Dec. 31, 2012.