By Rich Larson
Former Rice County Sheriff Troy Dunn, was in town this week to tend to some personal business. While here, he took some time to reflect on the campaign to build the new Rice County Public Safety Center. He said the completion of that project, just about 18 months ago, represented more than a new building—it marked the culmination of years of persistence, collaboration and community debate.
Dunn, along with current Sheriff Jesse Thomas, played a central role in advancing the project, which faced significant hurdles from the outset. During his tenure with the Sheriff’s Office, Dunn said, the county conducted six separate jail studies. Ultimately, after the Minnesota Department of Corrections informed the county in 2019 that the old facility was inadequate and would be reclassified as a 90-day lockup, momentum finally built toward constructing a modern facility.
“It was an uphill battle from the beginning,” Dunn said. “We had to get the motion started and explain why we needed this.”
County commissioners, staff and residents all contributed to the process, asking tough questions about cost, need and scope. Dunn credits that dialogue with shaping a project designed not for excess, but for long-term sustainability.
“We built it to meet today’s needs and the next 20 years,” he said. “It wasn’t about adding unnecessary space—it was about doing it right.”
The difference between the old jail and the new facility is striking. Dunn recalled past inspections when Department of Corrections officials expressed concern about outdated features, including barred cells and patchwork fixes that had accumulated over time.
“We had put a lot of band-aids on that facility,” he said. “This is what we had until we could build something better.”
Walking through the new Public Safety Center during its ribbon cutting in November of 2024 left a lasting impression. Dunn described a sense of pride seeing staff embrace a modern workspace designed for efficiency, safety and improved services.
Yet Dunn emphasized that even a state-of-the-art facility cannot solve every challenge, particularly when it comes to mental health.
“Jails have a place, but they’re not the end-all cure,” he said. “People with mental health issues don’t get better in a jail cell.”
While the new center allows for better care and management of inmates, Dunn said broader solutions—such as increased access to crisis beds—remain essential.
Even so, the building stands as a symbol of progress, teamwork and remembrance, with spaces honoring deputies lost in the line of duty.
“It turned out really well,” Dunn said. “I hope the citizens appreciate what it represents.”
Rich Larson is the owner and General Manager of KYMN Radio. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net.
