Anoka County Board Approves $6.3 Million in 2026 Policing Contracts for Andover, East Bethel, and Nowthen

In late 2025, the Anoka County Board of Commissioners formally approved a new slate of 2026 law enforcement service contracts, reaffirming the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office as the primary policing provider for the cities of Andover, East Bethel, and Nowthen.

The action continues a long-standing regional public safety model in which smaller and mid-sized cities contract with the county for full-service policing rather than operating independent municipal police departments. For Anoka County, this approach has shaped local law enforcement delivery for more than half a century, blending city-funded patrol services with countywide public safety infrastructure.

A combined investment of more than $6.3 million

Taken together, the three 2026 contracts total $6,376,638, reflecting updated personnel costs, equipment maintenance, and long-term vehicle replacement planning.

• Andover: $4,203,269 (contracted since 1974)
• East Bethel: $1,628,514 (contracted since 1973)
• Nowthen: $544,855 (contracted since 2012)

County documents indicate that 2026 costs reflect, in part, a multi-year labor agreement for sheriff’s deputies that includes a 5 percent wage increase in 2026, along with rising vehicle and equipment expenses. For cities, the contracts provide predictability by spreading capital costs over time rather than forcing large, one-year budget spikes.

Tailored service levels by community

While all three cities receive 24-hour emergency call response and general law enforcement services, the contracts scale daily patrol and specialized staffing to match population size, land area, and service demand.

Andover, the county’s largest contract city, receives the most robust coverage:

• 72 hours per day of dedicated patrol services
• 80 hours per week of crime investigation
• Two full-time deputies assigned to community policing
• A Community Service Officer providing six hours of daily coverage
• Seasonal park security, averaging 20 hours per week from April through September

East Bethel’s agreement provides:

• 36 hours per day of patrol service
• Staffing equivalent to 7.6 full-time deputy positions, accounting for training and leave coverage
• An estimated $110,000 year-over-year increase, driven primarily by wages and squad vehicle replacement

Nowthen, the county’s smallest contract city, receives:

• 12 hours per day of dedicated patrol coverage
• Full access to round-the-clock emergency response and general law enforcement services

What cities pay for and what the county provides

Under the contract-policing model, cities directly fund their local patrol presence and assigned personnel. In turn, the county levy supports the broader infrastructure that all residents rely on, including:

• 911 emergency dispatch operations
• Jail and detention services
• Specialty units such as SWAT, marine patrols, and drug task forces
• Evidence handling, records management, and supervisory oversight

The 2026 agreements also incorporate updated equipment fees, covering body-worn cameras, mobile radios, and an amortized squad car replacement plan designed to smooth long-term costs.

A long-running regional approach to public safety

For Anoka County, these annual renewals are more than routine contracts. They serve as a public accounting of how law enforcement resources are allocated, how many patrol hours each city is purchasing, and how rising labor and equipment costs are shaping local budgets.

For Andover, East Bethel, and Nowthen, the agreements preserve a familiar arrangement that blends local presence with countywide capacity, ensuring residents have access to both neighborhood patrols and specialized resources that would be difficult for smaller cities to sustain on their own.

As 2026 approaches, the approved contracts lock in another year of continuity, clarity, and shared responsibility for public safety across Anoka County.

MinneapoliMedia