COMMUNITY GUIDE 2023
ST . CROIX VALLEY
STILLWATER | BAYPORT | OAK PARK HEIGHTS | LAKE ELMO
Law enforcement preserves peace
Bayport Police Department 294 Third St . N ., Bayport 651-275-4400
Oak Park Heights Police 14168 Oak Park Blvd . N . Oak Park Heights 651-439-4723
Stillwater Police Department 216 Fourth St . N ., Stillwater 651-351-4900
Washington County Sheriff ’ s Office 15015 62nd St . N ., Stillwater 651-430-7600
The St . Croix Valley is served by several police departments and the county sheriff ’ s department for its public safety needs .
The Washington County Sheriff ’ s Office , which dates to 1840 , has 260 full-time employees , plus temporary and seasonal workers , as well as more than 100 volunteers . Sheriff Dan Starry has worked in the office since 1993 . The department is composed of divisions that offer extensive services : Administration , investigations , jail , patrol , special projects , special services and emergency management , and operates on a $ 40 million annual budget .
The sheriff ’ s office serves the 18 cities and townships in the county . It contracts with Afton , Birchwood , Grant , Hugo , Lake Elmo , Lakeland , Lakeland Shores , Lake St . Croix Beach , Landfall , Mahtomedi , Newport , Scandia , St . Mary ’ s Point and Willernie to provide additional law enforcement services . The Sheriff ’ s Office also has a volunteer Water Recovery Team ready to assist if emergencies occur on the waterways .
The Stillwater Police Department is led by Chief Brian Mueller . In addition to regular police patrols and responding to emergency calls , the department ’ s many services include gun safety classes , vacation checks , and crime prevention information .
The Oak Park Heights Police Department is the first responder to public safety incidents in the city . Steve Hansen is the police chief . The police respond to medicals , fire , criminal complaints , citizen assists , traffic accidents , ordinance violations , and emergency management . The department also provides a resource officer to Stillwater Area High School .
The Bayport Police Department is responsible for law enforcement and safety issues in the city , as well as handling non-emergency matters such as animal control , parking regulations , firearm applications and police reports . Laura Eastman is police chief . The department was founded in 1943 , when the council approved hiring one night watchman .
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