[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 157 (Wednesday, September 28, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E982-E983]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING ST. CLOUD POLICE CHIEF BLAIR ANDERSON

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. TOM EMMER

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 28, 2022

  Mr. EMMER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a dedicated public 
servant and a good friend, St. Cloud Police Chief Blair Anderson. Blair 
will be retiring this November after nearly 10 years of service to the 
St. Cloud community. He leaves behind a legacy of distinguished service 
that made our community safer and will not soon be forgotten.
  Before becoming Chief of Police in St. Cloud, Blair was a member of 
the Dakota

[[Page E983]]

County Sheriff's Office, where he started his career as an intern in 
1995. He rose within the ranks and left as a Commander in 2011 to serve 
as Chief Deputy in Carver County.
  Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Blair embraced the St. Cloud 
community and made meaningful changes during his many years of service. 
One change we are particularly proud of is the St. Cloud Police 
Department's Community OutPost or COP House program that Chief Anderson 
created. The COP House serves as a place for residents of the St. Cloud 
community and local law enforcement to gather and participate in 
afterschool programs, receive health services, and build meaningful 
relationships with one another.
  The impact the COP House has had on the St. Cloud community is 
incredible and one that we've been working to turn into a national 
model for improving community/police relations. This is just one of the 
many improvements Blair made during his tenure that will continue to 
serve the entire St. Cloud community long after his retirement.
  There is a reason all marked St. Cloud Police vehicles say ``To serve 
and protect'' on them, rather than the reverse. Chief Blair Anderson 
has made service to the St. Cloud community the cornerstone of his 
department. Under his watch, we all breathed a little easier. He will 
be greatly missed by the St. Cloud community, but his legacy will never 
be forgotten.

                          ____________________