An Evening with Sheriff Dawanna S. Witt

An Evening with Sheriff Dawanna S. Witt

Tues, Oct 14th | 4:30-6pm | The Great Hall at the Minneapolis Club

Join us at 4:30 PM in the Great Hall of the historic Minneapolis Club for an inspiring conversation with Sheriff Dawanna S. Witt, Minneapolis Club member and the first woman and person of color to serve as Sheriff of Hennepin County.

Dawanna S. Witt is the Sheriff of Hennepin County. She was sworn in on January 3, 2023. Sheriff Witt has been in law enforcement for more than two decades, serving in both Dakota County and Hennepin County. She holds undergraduate degrees in chemical dependency & family therapy and police science, and dual master’s degrees in public safety administration and management. She is also an adjunct professor at Inver Hills Community College, teaching Juvenile Justice and American Corrections.

For over 2.5 years, Dawanna Witt has been the Sheriff of Hennepin County, the most populated county in the state. In her tenure, the county has seen a decrease in violent crime and property offenses. She has created a new Auto Theft Unit to combat historic high numbers, reinstated the DARE program to build relationships with the community at a young age, prioritized providing Narcan trainings and free Narcan to fight the growing opioid crisis, launched a J*il data dashboard for transparency inside the Adult Detention Center, and she continues to advocate for law enforcement with county officials.

But Dawanna Witt never saw herself in law enforcement. Growing up in a home riddled with untreated substance abuse and mental health issues, negative police interactions were the norm. But it all changed when she took a tour of the Hennepin County Adult Detention Center. Hear how a girl growing up in South Minneapolis forged her way to become the first woman and person of color to hold the position as chief law enforcement officer in Hennepin County.

Cash bar available. Open to the Public.

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