Graduate spotlight : Retired Coon Rapids Police Chief and current Anoka County Sheriff Brad Wise , a 1982 Coon Rapids High School graduate
ON ANOKA-HENNEPIN SCHOOLS FALL 2024
Graduate spotlight : Retired Coon Rapids Police Chief and current Anoka County Sheriff Brad Wise , a 1982 Coon Rapids High School graduate
“ The fun part about law enforcement is that no day is the same in that you ’ re helping people that are really in need , but the service is the same .”
Wise was drawn to working with people and making relationshipbased connections . He began his career in law enforcement in Robbinsdale and eventually was able to return home to serve with the Coon Rapids Police Department ( CRPD ). He spent 27 years with Brad Wise CRPD , serving a variety of roles including patrol officer , detective , patrol sergeant , and investigative captain . Wise served seven years as the School Resource Officer at Northdale Middle School and was appointed Chief of Police in 2011 , a position he held until he retired in 2022 .
“ I loved being a part of CRPD ,” Wise said . “ I loved knowing everybody , like here at CRHS . This city was very important to me and this school has always been important to me .”
Wise joked that he can ’ t be trusted with free time . Soon after he retired from CRPD , Anoka County Sheriff James Stuart also announced his retirement , creating a potential segue for Wise , who knew he was going to do something after he retired .
Wise was elected and sworn in as the 18th sheriff of Anoka County on Jan . 3 , 2023 . He leads a team of approximately 300 staff and volunteers serving 21 urban and rural cities with a growing population of 351,373 .
A lot has happened since moving to the big city as a seventh grader , but Wise has found a common theme along the way , relationships and connections make a difference .
“ For a long time , I ’ ve recognized the more you give , the more you receive ,” Wise said . “ Every positive interaction or thing I have done for someone else , has always come back .” n
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NEPIN SCHOOL BOARD
Zach Arco District 2 : Blaine , eastern Coon Rapids 763-433-4150
Dr . Michelle Langenfeld District 5 : ooklyn Center , Brooklyn Park , south / southern Coon Rapids , Fridley 763-433-4151
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ucational and employment opportunities for all persons within its ility , status with regard to public assistance , sexual orientation , age ,
mmunity members ) with disabilities so they can participate in the their building principal if they have a disability requiring special tion , program or meeting . Students who are disabled consistent with cation , regardless of the severity of their handicap .
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Kacy Deschene District 3 : Champlin , southwestern Coon Rapids , Dayton 763-506-7743
Jeff Simon District 6 : Southwestern Andover , northern Coon Rapids 763-506-7742
Six degrees of separation is the idea that all people are six or fewer social connections away from each other . For Anoka County Sheriff Brad Wise , a 1982 graduate of Coon Rapids High School ( CRHS ), it ’ s more like two or even one degree of separation if you have ever lived in the city of Coon Rapids .
Wise and his family moved to Coon Rapids from Madison , a western Minnesota farming community , in January of 1977 for his seventh-grade year at then Coon Rapids Junior High .
“ I remember my parents saying , ‘ It ’ s a big school , it ’ s probably going to be intimidating , and good luck ,’” Wise said . “ Fortunately , the school , and I ’ m sure it is still this way now , had a pretty good understanding that it ’ s a hard transition for a kid to make .”
The power of personal connection
Wise remembers the student assigned to show him around and helped him acclimate to his new school - a personal connection that impacted a kid from a small town . Those personal connections followed him into high school as he transitioned to an even bigger school with a class of over 700 students .
During his sophomore year , Wise was enrolled in a drafting class with Mr . Miller . Miller ’ s wife taught at the junior high school and told her husband about Wise .
“ He knew of me because he had a conversation with his wife ,” Wise said . “ It was such a big school and he knew my name and that impacted me .”
Wise then joined the downhill ski team at CRHS , led by Mr . Miller as the head coach . “ It ’ s fond memories like that ,” Wise said when reflecting on his time at CRHS . “ He taught me the importance of relationships ; having a good memory and circling back with people that you have bumped into during your life .”
A connection to community and service
Upon graduation , Wise attended college with thoughts of working in business and he even spent some time as a history major . He worked in the hospitality industry , first in restaurants and eventually in hotel management . It was there he was introduced to law enforcement through the security staff .
“ It was just sort of the culture that I saw in those police officers working under that I wanted to be a part of ,” Wise said .