Dawanna Witt to become Hennepin County's 1st Black sheriff, and 1st female sheriff too
MINNEAPOLIS -- Dawanna Witt is projected to be the next Hennepin County Sheriff, and is poised to become the first woman and Person of Color to hold the position.
With nearly all votes counted in the race, Witt holds a 65-35 advantage over the other contender, Joseph Banks.
The position oversees the leading law enforcement agency for the 1.2 million people in Hennepin County, and its 800 employees are in charge of court safety, the Hennepin County Jail, and investigating major crimes.
This year though, the election takes place against the backdrop of the fall of Sheriff Dave Hutchinson, who pleaded guilty to drunk driving after a high-speed rollover crash near Alexandria last December. Since then, he has had his peace officer license suspended, along with his pay.
Witt, who works in the Hennepin County Sheriff's Department, got 57% of the vote in the August primary. She's assigned to oversee courts and jail, and has taken over the major crimes unit as of September.
"I am honored to be the next Sheriff of Hennepin County and would like to thank everyone who participated in our democratic process," she said on Tuesday night. "I am committed to leading the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) with experience, transparency, and compassion. As your next Sheriff, together we will build a safer and more equitable Hennepin County, a place where everyone has the opportunity to thrive."
Banks, her opponent, is the former chief of the Upper Sioux Police, Lower Sioux Police, and is also a bail bondsman. He's the co-founder of the Twin Cities Recovery Project, who believes visibility is key to addressing increasing crimes statewide. He earned 22% of the vote in August.
The next sheriff will face the issue of staff retention and recruitment, along with fighting crime in area.
