Police Department

Annual report

This annual report is a new endeavor for us. We hope our residents find it helpful in learning more about our community and how to partner with us in our community safety efforts; and we hope our visitors add it to the list of resources that highlight the reasons Northfield is not only a great place to visit, but a great place to consider moving to as well.

The Northfield Police Department is here to partner with our community by protecting with honor, and serving with compassion.

Police Annual Report 2021 (PDF)

Cannon River Drug and Violent Offender Task Force

The Cannon River Drug and Violent Offender Task Force is a specialized investigative unit targeting mid- to upper-level drug dealers and violent offenders in Rice and Le Sueur counties.

This a multi-jurisdictional law enforcement. It was established in 2014 by the Rice County Sheriff’s Office, and Faribault and Northfield Police departments.

Read more about the task force

Chief's message

The Northfield Police Department is built on dedicated employees and a strong partnership with the residents, businesses, and visitors we serve. The department is a reflection of the community; a community built on helping one another in tough times, and celebrating one another in good times. The community embraces diverse ideas and moves forward in creating opportunities where challenges once stood; and likewise so does the police department.

The NPD staff strives to provide compassionate and caring public safety services to all in our community in an equitable manner. We have all been affected by the disturbing images we have seen and stories told of injustices. The NPD tackles those sensitive topics that are uncomfortable to talk about every day. We train on the latest best practices and have proactively addressed police policy reform to ensure alignment with community expectations. We have embraced technology as a way to assist with efficiency and accountability. We have worked to increase knowledge across the organization, for if we know better, we can do better.

NPD training and policies encompass many of the subjects currently being discussed. These include implicit bias training, crisis intervention training, de-escalation, response to and recognizing persons in mental health crisis, race and equity considerations – working with minority communities, and a broad range of use of force training. More importantly, NPD stresses live, scenario-based training related to these topics so officers learn how to utilize these skills and assess options in real life situations.

As we look across our great nation we see challenges today and challenges ahead of us. At NPD we know that we cannot adequately protect and serve alone, and that is why we are thankful for our partners that work with us to serve one another, and protect our lives and livelihoods. Our partners include other first responders, our local medical professionals, social services, and nonprofits that provide for our neighbors and clients. Without the services our partners provide in the community, we would all struggle to meet the challenges we face.

Our officers hold those responsible for crimes accountable through referrals to the courts, but that is just a part of what we do. We also help those struggling with problems through referrals to social services, and community based assistance programs such as the Hope Center, Mobile Opioid Support Team, Community Action Center, and Healthy Communities Initiative. These partners address issues of family safety, health, homelessness, food insecurity, addiction, mental health, and domestic violence.

The Northfield Police Department is here to partner with our community by protecting with honor, and serving with compassion.

Mark Elliott

Police Chief