There are two candidates vying for Carver County Sheriff — Patrick Barry and Jessica Heger.
Each candidate in contested races was asked the same set of questions by the Patriot, and were asked to limit their responses to each question to 100 words or less. Unedited responses from Barry and Heger can be found below.
In-person early voting in Minnesota opened on Sept. 18; while the start of general early voting is Oct. 16. Election Day is Nov. 3. Find your local polling place online at pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us/
Question 1: What prompted you to seek election (or re-election) to office?
Patrick Barry: I have served Carver County for 23 years, including nearly eight years as Chief Deputy Sheriff, I care about this community, our employees, and the future of the Sheriff’s Office. I’m running for Sheriff because I have the experience, relationships, and proven leadership to continue moving the organization forward. I have spent my career serving alongside the dedicated professionals of this agency and building relationships throughout our communities. Becoming Sheriff would be an opportunity to continue that service, support our employees, strengthen public safety, and ensure Carver County remains a safe place to live, work, and raise a family.
Jessica Heger: I have always believed that when you recognize change is needed and have the ability to make a difference, you need to do something about it. I see an opportunity to build an amazing department where employees feel valued, seen, heard and supported. I recognize the challenges, including employee recruitment and retention and a culture that needs change. I know we can positively change the culture, improve retention and recruitment, recognize our people, and create a department where everyone can thrive.
Question 2: What is your long-term vision for the sheriff’s office?
Barry: My long-term vision is a Sheriff’s Office that remains trusted, professional, innovative, and prepared for Carver County’s continued growth. That means investing in exceptional employees, developing future leaders, strengthening community and public safety partnerships, and responsibly using technology to improve service while protecting individual rights. We must continue improving mental health response, recruitment and retention, training, and emergency preparedness while remaining fiscally responsible and accountable to taxpayers. Most importantly, I want to build an organization that our employees are proud to serve in and our residents trust to keep their families and communities safe for generations to come.
Heger: My long term vision is to build a sheriff’s office that is viewed as one of the best in the state. I want an organization built on trust, accountability, professionalism, and a culture where employees know they matter. We need to invest in our people through training, professional development, and strong leadership that supports them. I want the department to attract and retain exceptional employees because it is a place where people want to work and build a career. I want to leave the sheriff’s office fully staffed and stronger than I found it.
Question 3: What approach should the sheriff’s office take toward the use of Flock cameras or other automated license plate reader technology, and how would you balance their potential public safety benefits with considerations such as cost, data retention, privacy and oversight?
Barry: Automated license plate readers can help solve crimes, but public safety cannot come at the expense of privacy and public trust. I do not support deploying Flock cameras as designed without stronger safeguards and community input. Any future consideration should include a clear public-safety need, cost-benefit analysis, strict limits on data retention and access, prohibitions on improper sharing or tracking, regular audits, and transparent public reporting. Because many communities contract with the Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement services, local elected officials and residents should also have a voice. Technology should serve the community while protecting constitutional rights and individual privacy.
Heger: At this time, I would not pursue automated license plate readers. Public safety benefits must be weighed against the cost, privacy concerns, data retention, and appropriate oversight. I am not opposed to technology, and remain open to considering it as technology evolves and privacy protections and accountability improve. Any future consideration will include community input and show a public safety benefit, defined policies for data access and retention, responsible use of taxpayer dollars and appropriate oversight. Public safety and public trust are equally important.
Question 4: How should the sheriff’s office respond to the current challenges facing law enforcement, including public trust, officer recruitment and retention, accountability, community relations and changing expectations of policing?
Barry: Law enforcement must continue evolving while remaining focused on public safety, professionalism, and service. Building trust requires transparency, accountability, communication, and strong community relationships. Recruitment and retention require competitive compensation, quality training, employee wellness, career development, and supportive leadership. We must also use technology responsibly, strengthen mental health response, and continually evaluate policies and practices as laws and expectations change. As Sheriff, I will provide experienced leadership that supports our employees, strengthens partnerships, holds our organization accountable, and ensures the Sheriff’s Office continues providing professional service while earning the trust and confidence of Carver County residents.
Heger: Public trust starts with a commitment to serve everyone in our community while treating them with respect and holding ourselves to the highest standards. We need strong leadership that is honest, fair, transparent, and supports its employees. We must invest in our employees through competitive recruitment, retention, training, recognition, and professional growth. We can’t just connect with our community when a crisis happens; we need to connect through schools, community outreach, and partnerships before something happens. Our community and the people who live here are our greatest asset, we can’t be successful without them and their support.
Question 5: What in your background/experience best qualifies you for office?
Barry: My strongest qualification is my combination of law enforcement experience and proven executive leadership. I have 28 years in law enforcement, including 23 years serving Carver County and nearly eight years as Chief Deputy Sheriff. As second-in-command, I help lead 168 employees, manage a $31 million budget, oversee daily operations, develop policy, and plan for the organization’s future. I have served at nearly every level of the Sheriff’s Office, from patrol deputy, detective to sergeant, lieutenant, and Chief Deputy. That experience gives me the knowledge, relationships, and leadership ability to serve effectively as Sheriff from day one.
Heger: I believe it’s always people first. I have experience across nearly every level of law enforcement. I have worked patrol, investigations, crime scene team, and as a 911 dispatcher, giving me an understanding of the profession from multiple perspectives. I currently work for the state’s top law enforcement investigative agency, where we handle complex and high-profile cases and provide assistance to agencies statewide. This has given me a statewide perspective on law enforcement and the challenges facing agencies today. I have built a school resource officer program and two statewide programs from the ground up, managed budgets, and supervised interns and cadets.