A Position of Honor

 Maybe you remember the laughter ringing across the air of your backyard, where you come to an abrupt stop, face-to-face with your friend.

“Stop! Police!” you say between childhood giggles.

Your friend rushes off, calling out for you to catch him. It’s your typical childhood game of “Cops and Robbers,” and, of course, it’s your turn to be behind the badge. 

For many of us, “Cops and Robbers” was a favorite pastime; the idea of law enforcement was hardly anything more than a friendly game between friends.

However, for others, the duty of enforcing the law was far more than a notion or idea – it was a calling, which would lead them into a career of justice, service, and sacrifice.

And Sean Deringer? Well, he just so happens to be one of those people.

Sean Deringer

The Wright County Sheriff’s Office is quiet on a Friday afternoon at 3 p.m., something one wouldn’t expect with the quickly-approaching weekend right around the corner. There’s a quiet, steady ring of telephones, and a hushed, commonplace chatter of employees behind cubicle walls as you make your way into the lobby.

Within minutes, however, you shake hands with Sean Deringer, Wright County’s recently-elected Sheriff. He’s smiling and upbeat, belaying a week of hours already put under his metaphorical belt, and he is nothing but optimistic as he leads you to what would, usually, be an intimidating office.

After exchanging pleasantries, Deringer takes authority of the situation, delving right into business.

“Well, let’s get into it,” he opens. “What would you like to know?”

It’s no surprise that Sean Deringer is an open, approachable character; that much was ascertained by many during his Sheriff’s campaign in 2018. Never one to shy away from a good speech or conversation, his talks are almost always sprinkled with stories of his experiences, or tidbits about his family. He managed to stay professionally consistent throughout his campaign, which may have been one of many reasons he was elected as the Wright County Sheriff in November of last year.

Originally from the Dakotas, Sean Deringer never really imagined that he’d ever become a Minnesotan, much less a County Sheriff.  He is a 1990 graduate of Northland Community College in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. From there, he finished his law enforcement degree at the University of North Dakota, where he and Tammy would eventually become engaged during his senior year, and then married.

“Even before we’d graduated, Tammy had been offered a great job with Target, which led us to Buffalo,” Deringer said. “And when we came to look at the area, we just fell in love with it.”

So, it was Tammy’s job with Target that led them to Wright County, and within short order, both had quickly decided that this area would be their home - it was close to the metro, if neccesary, though it was still far enough to have a “small-town” feel.

By March of 1996, Deringer was hired part-time by the Buffalo Police Department.

Then in January of 1997, he had started part-time at the Wright County Sheriff’s Office. At the time, everything started happening very quickly – they purchased their first home and discovered they were going to be parents all in the same week, which isn’t even mentioning that Deringer had been offered a position as a Minnesota State Trooper. At the same time, however, a position opened for him at the Wright County Sheriff’s Office full-time in July of the same year, which led him to decline the Trooper position.

“It all happened very quickly,” Deringer explained. “All in one week, our life flipped upside down, in a good way. We stepped into our adult shoes really fast, and neither of us ever has looked back.”

While the job of a county deputy and city police officer are similar, a Sheriff’s Office is required to fulfill state mandates by law, and thus, their jurisdiction stretches a bit farther than local PD. However, Deringer had always known he had wanted to be a cop working with a PD, simply because it was more locally-focused.           

By that time, he’d known that law enforcement was his calling since his youth.

“Originally, I just wanted to be a cop and enforce the law,” Deringer shared. “Climbing up the ranks wasn’t really on my agenda. I just wanted to serve a community as a police officer, and that suited me just fine.”

However, it wasn’t meant to be.

“My career really started taking off with some great opportunities,” Deringer commented. “I’ve been involved narcotic and general investigations, and have had the opportunity to train at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, which really focuses on partnering with local police forces. I’ve been really blessed with a lot of different opportunities.”

Due to these very opportunities, the option to just “remain an ordinary cop” really wasn’t on the table anymore. That considered, Deringer began to think about eventually stepping into a Sheriff’s role.

Wright County Sheriff

The drive and desire to become a law enforcement officer stemmed from Deringer’s youth, beginning with the fact that he admired his father’s friends, who were police officers. Deringer recalls his father spending time with his hometown’s police chief, which is where he really remembers admiring the men and women behind the badge.

“My father had been at breakfast one day with the police chief, and my dad had witnessed the quiet donation of $100 from him,” he chuckled, “I just remember having such respect for those people and that job; they were pillars of the community, honored people, and I just remember wanting to be in that same position.”

His drive for honor is perhaps what won Deringer the elected seat at the Sheriff’s Office in January. Officially appointed on January 7, so far it has been a “crazy four months,” that feels like “drinking out of a fire hose most days.” However, overwhelming the day might feel, however, honor is at the core of his administration, and he finds the good in each and every day.

Approaching the job

“When I was officially inaugurated, I had a meeting with our staff that was a few hours long,” he explained. “We discussed the core ethics I wanted to exude during my time in office, and be sure that everyone understood what this job would embody when I’m here and what I expected.”

Among those ethics is an awareness of public perception, and an emphasis on education, service, safety, and honorable action. He made it a point to discuss information, which is a vital aspect of running a Sheriff’s operation, and how keeping the public informed and up-to-speed on facts was vital.

“Knowing how important public information is to the outside is so important,” he shared. “You can maintain situations by giving good information, and in an extent, control public perception and mediate chaos. Information is so easy to share with the public, and I believe it is something we need to get on top of right away.”

With over 200 calls per day and 3 million name cards currently on file, handling the informational details is quite a job. Deringer made it point to commend his staff for their efforts, service, and dedication,

“My job is nothing without the staff behind me,” Deringer said. “I am beyond blessed to have a supporting staff. We have around 200 employees, and I’m thankful for each of them. They show a dedicated passion and drive for this office, and I am grateful for that.”

Another aspect of the job is combating the recent negative stigma that has swept over the role of Law Enforcement Officers across the nation. While not overly present in Wright County, Deringer shared that it still is a light they have to be conscious of stepping into, and that the core ethics of the Office must be credible and observational in every act of public service.

“As I said to my staff when I first began, this battle isn’t within this Office,” he said. “It isn’t between us. Not everyone will agree on my leadership here – but, this is a calling, and we have to work together to make this work.”

The troubling fact is that in 2018, the suicide rates for law enforcement personnel was higher than the line of duty-related deaths, which Deringer was very morose about. Taking care of the men and women behind the badge is not something he takes lightly, which is why he is hoping to launch a health and wellness policy of the job, as well as maintaining mental health of his employees.

Family support

“I’ve been so blessed with such a supportive, understanding wife,” Deringer stated. “Without her, I don’t think any of this would’ve been possible – I’d be a very different father, man, and officer, if not for her support.”

Deringer’s love and support of his family is not something he fails to mention – he regards his family at almost every public speech he gives; love and passion for his family was no secret aspect of his campaign in 2018.

“When you’re in law enforcement, you become almost hyper aware of everything that goes on in a community,” he shared. “And when you become a father? You set strong and immediate goals. My number one goal as a father and a law enforcement officer was that my kids would not do drugs, and I am so relieved and proud to say that has remained true. When you see the stuff that comes out of those lifestyles, you learn very quickly what to teach your kids.”

The Deringer children, Devin, 21 and Brianna, 18, both intend to attend college in Moorhead, and are the subject of their father’s pride. Tammy, ever-the-dutiful wife, has supported not only her husband in his career, but their family at home, having quit her career early to stay at home.

“Without my wife’s support, this would not have been possible. In this job, you need someone who supports your career climb, and is a sounding board for you emotionally. My wife and family have supported me throughout all of this, and we’ve shared many talks that discuss challenges and trials in day-to-day life, and for that, I am blessed.”

Overall, the job of Wright County Sheriff is not a light mantel that is passed down from officer to officer – it is a job that doesn’t “punch out” every day; it requires dedication and a heart of service to a community, as well as the willingness to sacrifice. And, it is a position of leadership, with the demand to be part of the worst of situations and affect change.

“I have the ability to affect greater change in this job,” Deringer shared. “That is a duty I take very seriously, and, God willing, I do it well.”

Sean Deringer shared two specific concepts during his inaugural meeting, which are concepts enacted in his day-to-day life as a father and husband. Those concepts, he hopes, will become active reflections of the work done at the Sheriff’s Office as well: the first was taking up a God-ordained calling, and the second, to be a peacemaker that is God-fearing and blessed in action and deed (Isaiah 6:8, and Matthew 5:9).

“At the core of this job, you must have a heart that is willing to go above and beyond the line of duty,” he explained. “It is my hope to not only better serve this Office, but serve as a force that betters this community. That is all anyone can hope to do as a person.”

For more information on the history of the Wright County Sheriff’s Office, please visit www.co.wright.mn.us under “Services.”