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The Lakes Area Police Commission last week gratefully accepted a donation of several thousand dollars from the Maranatha Church congregation in Chisago City, to be used for the new drone program.  Lakes Area Chief Schlumbohm said the funds are sufficient to get four drone units and cover the related costs to license etc.  The goal for the department is to have five available in the fleet.  This donation puts the department “well on our way,” according to what the chief told the commission.

These devices are basic models and do not include enhanced capabilities like thermal imaging, for example.  They can, however, carry out video searches of terrain and deliver a small item such as a cell phone, if the situation calls for communicating with a subject who may be armed and dangerous.  The chief commented that drones have proven to be invaluable when the alternative is to send a live officer into harm’s way.

Lakes Area has three pilots qualified to implement the drones, when the program is ready to launch.

In other business the four commission members received the 2025 audit.

Discussion ensued on the long term plans for a new law enforcement headquarters, proposed to be in the existing Lindstrom City Hall/Community Center.  

It was announced the next step of developing an appraised value for the Lindstrom structure and adjacent land area is in process.  

The expert analysis should be done by the end of April.  Lindstrom hired someone knowledgeable in  municipal property classification to set a value for the commission to consider as a starting point.  

The remodel study itself  has been accepted by Lindstrom and Chisago City is still reviewing the data.

Commissioners and the city administrators agreed the cities have some questions and concerns specific to each other’s liabilities in re-use of the Lindstrom site. There will be a workshop scheduled for both city councils to talk and bring everybody up to speed once the appraisal comes in with a possible price tag.  Chief Schlumbohm said he’s been in touch with a facilitator to assist in the effort.

Also, if debt is to be involved in this process of the commission acquiring and  rehabbing the Lindstrom site— the service contract guiding the responsibilities of Chisago City and Lindstrom needs to be updated.  

Both cities received a building subcommittee recommendation in January, forwarding a project to re-use and improve the existing Lindstrom city hall/community center. (Where Lindstrom staff and offices relocate to has not been part of the review yet.)  The committee voted 3-1 to put the LAPD plan before the two full councils. Mark Anderson, Chisago City Commission member, was the no vote. 

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