Announcement

Driven by a lifelong commitment to service, leadership, and community safety, I, Adam Gunderson, am announcing that I will be running for Clearwater County Sheriff. I will bring experienced leadership to the office. I believe the Sheriff’s Office should be a trusted partner with the community, focused on professionalism, transparency, and proactive public safety. With decades of military and law enforcement leadership, I seek to ensure the Sheriff’s Office is well-trained, well-led, and firmly rooted in the values of service, integrity, and respect for all citizens.

I am a veteran law enforcement leader and retired U.S. Army service member with more than four decades of combined military and public safety experience. I have dedicated 21 years to the Minnesota National Guard, enlisting in 1997 and retiring honorably in 2018. During my military career, I was deployed overseas in support of international and combat operations, including service in Bosnia from 2003 to 2004 as part of the Stabilization Force 14 (SFOR-14), and a deployment to Iraq from 2005 to 2007 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF 06–08).

Following my return from Iraq, I spent the remainder of my military career with the 1st Battalion, 194th Armor Regiment's Recruit Sustainment Program, where I served as a platoon sergeant responsible for training and mentoring over 2000 soldiers of the Minnesota Army National Guard. In the final three years of my service, I also served as a Senior Instructor for the Officer Candidate School, helping develop the next generation of Army officers through leadership instruction and professional development.

I began my law enforcement career in 2001 as a patrol officer with both the Perham Police Department and the Henning Police Department, serving my communities in dual roles until 2005. In that same year, I was appointed Police Chief for the City of Royalton, a position I held for 14 years, providing long-term leadership, operational oversight, and community-focused policing initiatives. In 2019, I became Police Chief for the City of Menahga, where I served until the end of 2022 after accepting the Police Chief position in Bagley so that I could be closer to my family. In early 2023, I assumed my current role as Police Chief for the City of Bagley. Here, I continue to lead with a strong emphasis on professionalism, accountability, and community trust.

In addition to my over 21 years of command experience, I have extensive law enforcement training and instructional credentials. I am a Defensive Tactics Instructor, Firearms Instructor, and Law Enforcement Active Shooter Response Instructor. I have also completed the FBI Crisis Negotiator Course, further strengthening my expertise in de-escalation, critical incident management, officer and public safety. I am a Certified Part 107 small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) pilot and have been trained by the Law Enforcement Thermographers’ Association for the use of thermal imaging in Law Enforcement applications. I have been a Voting member for the MN Chiefs of Police Association for over 20 years, and well as attended the annual Executive Training Institute for the past 20 years.

My leadership philosophy is firmly grounded in the seven core Army values—Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage—which continue to guide my approach to public service, leadership development, and community engagement. I look forward to the honor of serving as your Sheriff when given the opportunity.

Posted on 21 Apr 2026, 11:35 - Category: News