North Branch Police Department

10/15/2026

NOW HIRING | FULL-TIME POLICE OFFICER

The City of North Branch Police Department is currently accepting applications for a full-time Police Officer.

North Branch is a growing community with a population of over 11,000 residents and more than 36 square miles to serve. Our department offers a variety of career development opportunities for officers looking to expand their experience, develop new skills, and advance their careers.

Career Development Opportunities Include:

Criminal Investigations
School Resource Officer
SWAT
Crisis Negotiations Team
Mobile Field Force
Bicycle Patrol
Field Training Officer (FTO)
Fi****ms and Use of Force Instructor
TASER, PepperBall, 40mm Launcher, and Chemical Mu*****ns Instructor

Compensation & Benefits:

Starting Pay: $44.77/hour (2026)
Take-Home Squad Program (officers residing within 20 minutes of the city)
Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
Paid Time Off (PTO)
PERA Retirement

Minimum Qualifications:

Applicants must meet the minimum selection standards established by the Minnesota POST Board and possess, or be eligible to obtain, a full-time Minnesota Peace Officer License.

Application Deadline: November 2, 2026, at 4:00 PM

Whether you’re an experienced officer seeking a new opportunity or beginning your law enforcement career, we encourage you to consider joining the North Branch Police Department.

We take pride in serving our growing community and providing opportunities for professional development within our department.

Please share this opportunity with anyone interested in a career with the North Branch Police Department.

Apply here: https://www.northbranchmn.gov/Jobs.aspx?UniqueId=99&From=All&CommunityJobs=False&JobID=Police-Officer-9

10/12/2026

A busy weekend for our officers!

Our officers were hard at work this weekend, and we wanted to share a few highlights of what they encountered while keeping our community safe.

Thursday Night / Friday Morning:
What started as a traffic stop turned into much more. Officers located suspected methamphetamine, boxes containing personal identifying documents belonging to individuals who weren’t in the vehicle, and outstanding warrants. Needless to say, there was a little more going on than just a traffic violation!

Saturday:
One of our officers located an individual driving with a license status of Cancelled – Inimical to Public Safety (IPS).

For those unfamiliar with that term, it means the Minnesota Department of Public Safety has determined that the individual poses a significant risk to public safety and has cancelled their driving privileges.

Sunday:
Officers conducted a traffic stop for an improper lane change. Shortly into the stop, the officer noticed some things that didn’t quite add up and requested additional officers.

Through their investigation, officers developed probable cause to search the vehicle and located more than 100 grams of suspected methamphetamine.

The driver was arrested for felony possession of a controlled substance.

The passenger? Well, that individual had an outstanding felony warrant for, you guessed it… drugs!

Why are we sharing this?

Because we want our community to see the work happening behind the scenes. Traffic enforcement isn’t always just about writing tickets. Sometimes, a simple traffic stop leads to removing dangerous drugs from our streets, identifying wanted individuals, and keeping unsafe drivers off our roads.

These incidents are a great example of officers being proactive, paying attention to the little things, and working together to keep North Branch a safe place to live, work, and raise a family.

A big thank you to the Chisago County Sheriff's Office for your assistance throughout the weekend. We appreciate the continued partnership!

Great work by all officers involved, and thank you to our community for your continued support!

All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

10/12/2026

FYI….Upcoming 2 week detour for the west side of town.

🚧 ROAD CLOSURE NOTICE 🚧

Beginning Wednesday, October 21, 2026, Flink Ave between 400th St and 406th St will be closed to through traffic for construction.

⏳ Closure Duration: Approximately 2 weeks
🚗 Please follow the posted detour route and plan for additional travel time. The contractor will coordinate access for local residents as needed.

🗺️ Detour Map:

10/07/2026

If you have an opening in your social calendar this weekend, come and visit our favorite hose draggers. 😉. It is a good time for all, especially the littles.

It appears that many of our signs around town have been broken or taken down. Just a reminder that our open house is this Saturday and it is a free event! Come out and see our trucks and enjoy refreshments and activities!

10/01/2026

PSA: Couple fun events this weekend that may cause some brief traffic delays. Come on out and show your support for both these events

FRIDAY= 🏈 North Branch Homecoming Parade
North Branch Area Public Schools is celebrating its annual Homecoming tradition this week. Community members can gather for the traditional parade, followed by the Viking football game and fireworks on Friday night.
• Date: Friday, October 2, 2026
• Time: 3:15 PM
• Parade Route: Starts Maple/Forest Blvd- East to Grand Ave to the Main Lot of NBHS
Homecoming game starts at 6pm and will have fireworks during and after the game

SATURDAY= 🚛 Special Olympics Minnesota Truck Convoy
The annual Special Olympics Minnesota Truck Convoy is a major celebration and fundraiser bringing together law enforcement and truckers to support athletes.
• Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
• Timeline:
• 7:00 AM – 9:00 AM: Trucker registration and hospitality at Running Aces.
• 9:00 AM: Opening Ceremony and Parade of Athletes.
• 10:00 AM: Official departure.
• Route & Local Viewing: The big rigs depart from Running Aces Hotel in Columbus, MN, and travel north on I-35 up to North Branch/Hwy 95 before turning back. This turn around is different from years past where the turning point was Harris. They are expected to roll into the North Branch area along I-35 starting around 10:15. There will be a brief road closure on Hwy 95 so the trucks can make a safe turnaround

09/24/2026

Today was an exciting day for the North Branch Police Department!

Chief Meyer had the privilege of swearing in our newest officer, Officer Chris Smith! Officer Smith is currently completing his field training, so if you see him out and about, be sure to say hello and give him a warm North Branch welcome!

Chief Meyer also had the honor of promoting Officers Lawson and Zajac to Patrol Sergeants! Congratulations to both on this well earned next step in their careers!

We’re excited to continue growing our team, developing leaders, and building positive relationships with the community we’re proud to serve.

Please join us in welcoming Officer Smith and congratulating Sergeants Lawson and Zajac! 👏🚔

09/19/2026

****Owner has been located and will be reunited soon.

This little dude with oversized blue collar was found playing in traffic on Flink Ave/392nd St. No tags. Animal control has been contacted for pickup. Please call Chisago Dispatch @ 651-257-4100 for information on pickup

09/18/2026

09/12/2026

Thank you for taking care of us Dickey's Barbecue Pit

Special shout out to the North Branch Police Department for keeping traffic flowing and providing safety during Hay Days Grass Drags!

After delivering a catering out to Hay Days, we had to swing back and deliver some free delicious pulled pork sandwiches to these hard working people.

Thank you for keeping everyone safe during this fun-filled weekend!!

⭐️ Fun fact: our local family business connected the North Branch Police Department to a $10,000 grant to help fund their new E-Bike program. Thank you for supporting our business & local first responders with every purchase.

Dickeys.com
📍 0.2 NW of I-35/Hwy 95 in North Branch

09/09/2026

Hay Days is this weekend! Please plan on traffic delays or take care of those errands early. Key times for traffic flow "hiccups" will start 6am Saturday morning until around 8pm and Sunday should be from around 11am-7pm. We will once again have officer's out keeping traffic moving the best we can but plan on some delays. Have a great weekend!!!