Steve Soyka

The Stearns County Jail is out of room, and inmates are being sent to neighboring counties while a new facility takes shape on the west side of St. Cloud.

The long 4th of July weekend kept those working in the Stearns County Sheriff's Office busy. Sheriff Steve Soyka joined me on WJON. He says they saw an increase in calls over the long weekend but it wasn't anything they couldn't handle or too major.

Minnesota will participate in an oral swab drugged driving pilot program in 2024. Stearns County Sheriff Steve Soyka says Stearns County would participate in the program but he hasn't been notified if the state will send any swabs their direction.

Every year the Stearns County Sheriff's Office honor guard honors an officer on the anniversary of that officer's death. Wednesday they honored deputy Steven Sandberg from Aitkin County who was killed while guarding a prisoner on October 18, 2015 at St. Cloud Hospital.

Recreational marijuana became legal in Minnesota August 1st. Stearns County Sheriff Steve Soyka joined me on WJON to discuss what, if anything has changed. He says they have seen limited changes in the amount of marijuana issues since the law change which he says is a "good thing".

The Stearns County Sheriff's Office is weighing-in as the governor's new order is set to take effect on Monday.