Sheriff Greg Sertich

Duluth-Cotton Patrol Established - 1968

The St. Louis County Sheriff's Department inaugurated round-the-clock patrol service between Duluth and Cotton.

Sheriff Greg Sertich, Duluth, said shifts were juggled to free a crew to work daily from midnight to 8 a.m.  Prior to this there were no crews on patrol between Duluth and Cotton from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m.  Calls were handled by deputies off duty but on call at their homes.

Sheriff Issues Annual Report - 1968

A uniform crime reporting system which provides for more accurate information on incidents within St. Louis County was installed in 1968, Sheriff Greg J. Sertich reported Wednesday.

• Equipment: Another department improvement, a year-end report showed the purchase in 1968 of photography and fingerprint equipment.  Copies of information taken with both pieces of equipment are forwarded to the State Crime Bureau and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

• Accidents: Sheriff’s deputies investigated 436 traffic accidents involving property damage of $100 or more.  A total of 310 persons were injured in these accidents.  Eight persons were injured fatally.  A total of 423 traffic violation citations were issued by the department.

• Complaints: During 1968, 3,897 complaints were received and investigated with 443 arrests for crimes other than traffic or juvenile offenses.  The department processed and referred 123 juveniles to the appropriate authorities for offenses other than traffic violations.

• Prisoners: The St. Louis County jail housed 1,869 prisoners for local, state and federal agencies with the sheriff’s office turning over more than $14,800 to the county treasurer in boarding fees for prisoners of other agencies and persons jailed under the Huber Law.

• Mileage: Radio-equipped patrol cars logged 768,824 miles and deputies traveled more than 7,500 air miles returning prisoners from Colorado, Texas, Florida, Nevada and Michigan.

• Fees: About $54,000 in civil fees and personal property tax collections was turned over to the county treasurer.

• Rescue Squad: The volunteer rescue unit, a 24-man unit of special deputies, under the direction of Capt. Kenneth Slatten, expended 6,202 man hours in searching for lost hunters, drowning victims, enforcing boat and water safety regulations and other services.

• Other activiities: Other activities of the department in 1968 included transporting prisoners and mental patients to state institutions, assisting smaller communities conduct investigations and training programs for deputies. 

• Training program: Capt. William H. Evans developed and coordinated a training program to assist area constables.

• Source:  Duluth News Tribune, February 27, 1969

Inmates Booked