We are proud to live in a community where safety and security are a priority. In the last few years, this has been evident.

According to the Blandin Foundation, a healthy community is one that provides appropriate safety and security measures for all and actively addresses the causes and consequences of violence.

A healthy community also actively seeks to aid all those affected by violence and to change the conditions leading to violence.

Some of the things happening that we believe point to strength in this area are the Albert Lea Police Department’s implementation of community policing. Officers are assigned different parts of the city and become familiar with those areas. If you have a nonemergent problem for the department to help with in your part of the city, you call your officer that oversees that area. Officers have also been out in the schools building relationships with our children and meeting with new residents to our community who have come from different countries. We believe these efforts have strengthened ties between community members and officers.

In addition to the police department, not too many years ago, Albert Lea residents fought hard to keep a full-time fire department. This showed that residents value the firefighters here and want their service and protection in case of a fire. These firefighters and officers put their lives on the line each and every day they go to work.

Freeborn County is also blessed to have the Crime Victims Crisis Center to help residents who have been victims of crime. The staff and volunteers there are on call virtually 24 hours a day to help in times of need. The Crisis Center can provide help with things such as orders for protection and restraining orders, offering support during court hearings and other advocacy.

We believe all these pieces together, plus other volunteers and organizations provide an active role in giving safety and security for the city’s residents. 

We thank them for their service.