Winnebago’s police chief didn’t have to look too far for his new job.
“He’s been hired as a deputy,” says Chief Deputy Scott Adams of the Faribault County Sheriff’s Department.
Earlier this week Eric Olson submitted a letter of resignation after being with the police department for more than nine years. He has agreed to stay on as interim chief through Sept. 20.
Olson is the fourth Winnebago police officer to be hired by the Sheriff’s Department since 2022.
His departure comes a month after the City Council decided to keep the city’s police department and not contract with another law enforcement agency for services.
OIson has been the city’s lone officer for the past eight months after two officers took jobs with the Sheriff’s Department.
Mayor Scott Robertson says he learned of Olson’s resignation through a text message from a council member.
“I was surprised and shocked,” says Robertson. “I didn’t see it coming and was blindsided. He had all that support at the meetings we held from people who wanted to keep the police force.”
Robertson says as far as he knows two candidates are still undergoing background checks for two full-time officer vacancies.
At this time, Robertson says he’s not interested at looking at the Blue Earth Police Department to provide coverage.
“Maybe we’ll find someone who wants to bring in their own people here with a fresh start,” he says. “We’ll take it slow and start shopping again.”
The City Council is scheduled to hold its monthly meeting beginning at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 12, at the Municipal Center.