Blue Earth County Attorney Pat McDermott Announces Run for Reelection
Blue Earth County Attorney Pat McDermott will run for reelection this fall. In announcing his bid, McDermott issued the following statement:
“It is a great honor and privilege to serve as County Attorney and I thank the citizens of Blue Earth County for the opportunity to continue to serve in this capacity. As County Attorney, I believe it is important that people who commit crimes are brought to justice and held accountable for their actions.”
In the past year alone, my office has prosecuted three murder cases, and numerous cases involving firearms. I will continue to prioritize resources and effectively and fairly prosecute violent criminals. I also believe that it is important that victims of crime receive the necessary assistance to ensure that their rights are protected, their concerns are addressed, and that they receive payment of restitution from the persons who have harmed them. We work closely with local sheriff’s officials, police and other community justice partners to ensure that offenders are held accountable for their crimes.
My Office works hard to make a difference, both inside the courtroom and out in our community. We help families, we help people affected by crime, we help businesses work with the county, we help guide Blue Earth County government through legal advice, we defend the county’s financial resources in court, and we interact with our communities and other parts of the judicial system as partners. We strive to hold offenders accountable, and to ensure that Blue Earth County is a safe and just place to live, work, and grow.
We have continued to develop and utilize proactive crime prevention initiatives and community education programs to address factors that drive crime in our communities. We also partner with internal and external agencies to ensure resources are offered to those in need. These strategies, along with fair, effective, and efficient prosecution; hold offenders accountable, and have been shown to be cost effective and beneficial to our community.
“I work tirelessly to fulfill the mission of the Blue Earth County Attorney’s Office, which is ‘to promote justice and public safety through fair, effective, and efficient prosecuting of crime; to protect the children, families, and vulnerable in need; and to provide quality legal representation for Blue Earth County.’ I look forward to continuing to serve the citizens of Blue Earth County.”
Some of the signature achievements of McDermott’s tenure include: the Truancy Intervention Program; The Child and Family Advocacy Center of South Central Minnesota; the Juvenile Diversion/Accountability Program; the Prioritizing Prosecutions in School program (PPS); the Adult Accountability Program; the Sealing Criminal Records to Enhance Justice program; and continued involvement with and support for the Blueprint for Safety, the 5th Judicial District Veterans Court, and Family Dependency Treatment Court.
