Lakeville Police Sgt. Andy Bohlen Named Faribault Police Chief

After nearly 20 years in Lakeville, Police Sgt. Andy Bohlen has a new job. On Oct. 12, he was named police chief for the city of Faribault.

He'll replace former Lakeville Police Chief and Dakota County Sheriff Don Gudmundson who's been serving as interim chief in Faribault since last February.

Bohlen, according to the Faribault Daily News, will start Nov. 5, pending the Faribault City Council's approval, which is expected.

“It feels wonderful,” Bohlen told the Faribault Daily News. “Don is a mentor for many, many people. He has great ideas, great experiences. He’s cutting edge. He understands leadership and how to motivate people. He’s always been looked at as a leader in law enforcement.”

Bohlen was selected from a group of three that included two in-house candidates. He'll make just under $100,000 a year in his new role.

Bohlen joined Lakeville's Police Department in 1993 after working as an officer in Austin, MN, for three years. He worked his way up through the ranks, leading he area drug task force, patrol division, and most recently was named the emergency management director for Lakeville. Over the years, he also received a master’s degree in management.

As a retired veteran, Bohlen was also a key part of creating Lakeville's Yellow Ribbon service organization.

"Bohlen made many significant contributions, both as an officer and supervisor, to our community and this agency over the years," Police Chief Thomas Vonhof wrote in his weekly newsletter. "We will miss Andy, but we wish him well as he moves on to new professional challenges as the Police Chief of Faribault."