Reinke ready for full-time cop role

FAIRMONT - With over 10 years of experience, Seth Reinke is transitioning from part-time to full-time with the Fairmont Police Department.

Reinke was born in St. James and following high school graduation, attended Hibbing Community College, which he graduated from in 2006 with his associate’s degree in law enforcement. Reinke said law enforcement has always felt like his calling.

"I remember at a young age joining the Police Explorer program in Duluth and doing a bunch of ride-alongs," he said. "It was one of those things. There was nothing cut and dry that pushed me in the direction, but I’ve always known I was going to do it."

After graduating, Reinke came back to Southern Minnesota for a full-time spot with the Madelia Police Department in 2008. He would transition quickly to a county role with the Watonwan County Sheriff's Office in 2009 and operate there for a little over five years. After seven years away from law enforcement, Reinke laid the groundwork by working part-time for the Fairmont PD, beginning in 2022, while also being full-time for St. James.

From his decade-plus experience in law enforcement, Reinke said he has taken away multiple big pieces.

"Working hard, learning to communicate with everybody," he said. "A big part of our job is talking to people and trying to resolve their issues. Learning how to interact with people on a daily basis and do it respectfully and gain the outcome you want to get by just communicating with them."

Police Chief Mike Beletti said when a spot opened up full-time at the Fairmont Police Department, Reinke was already on their part-time roster and he elected to go through the application process.

"It’s been a really good transition since Officer Reinke has had four years of part-time experience with us," he said. "He knows how our department operates, knows the community, so it was a really smooth transition to the full-time role. I think everybody involved was excited to have them on board."

For Reinke, he said he knew what the department had to offer from his four part-time years there.

"We had a change of leadership here," he said. "I think it brought a lot of excitement to the department. With everything the department has to offer, whether it’s promotions, extra assignments, the department size, the city size, were all things that I was looking at for a department to finish out my career."

Since Reinke had already gone through pretty much all of the standard training as a part-time officer, Beletti said only a two-week field training period was needed to get Reinke up to speed and ready.

"All agencies do things a little differently," Beletti said. "Officer Reinke coming in from that part-time role for four years, he has the knowledge and experience of the way that Fairmont handles calls, maybe does paperwork a little differently, and the squads and the equipment that we operate. That’s a huge benefit coming in with that insight."

In this expanded role, Reinke said he looks to bring a positive attitude and hopes to change any negative opinions of law enforcement.

"My goal is to come in and do a good job and represent the department and the city with a positive attitude," he said. "Work for a good department, a happy department, a department that looks out for its officers and gives officers opportunities to better themselves. All-around, it’s a great place to work for everybody."