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Lakes Area Police Sergeant Cory Spencer’s resignation was accepted with no comment from the police commission,  September 13.  He’s been on leave since March 2023, according to Chief Bill Schlumbohm and has been granted a “medical resignation.”  The sergeant’s slot will most likely be filled internally,  and approval was given by commissioners to advertise for an entry officer and start that lengthy hiring process.

Spencer started with Lakes Area Police in 2007.  His career was highlighted by a number of milestones—he was named MADD’s 2018 Outstanding School Resource Officer, he was the winner of the 2015 Jim Trudeau Award, a regional honor for exemplary community youth work by a law enforcement officer.  Spencer served as President of MN Juvenile Officers Association and he filed for county sheriff in 2018.

He also was the subject of a harassment and protection order granted to a local family, who alleged Spencer spent excessive time with a minor-aged daughter without parental permission and communicated with her inappropriately.

Spencer resigned his seat on the Chisago Lakes School Board May 1, 2023 and was released from a listing of district substitute teachers due to what he acknowledged at that time as having had “excessive social contact”  with a student.  

This summer, the “Safe Sport” website, an off-shoot of a 2019 Congressional Act calling for a centralized database for disciplinary records on officials and coaches within organized sports,  listed him as  restricted  from any activity within USA Hockey and USA Softball.  

An interim appointee was placed in the school board vacancy and the special election coming up November 7 is to fill the seat until 2027.  (See those candidate filing statements in this paper.)

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