Dakota Times

Representative Jeff Witte, a Republican from Lakeville, has been named the 2025 Legislator of the Year by the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association (MPPOA), according to an announcement made Thursday.

Witte’s career in law enforcement spans nearly three decades with the Burnsville Police Department. He served in several roles including Community Service Officer, Patrol Officer, School Resource Officer, and Sergeant department leader. Additionally, he led the Emergency Action Group’s Crisis Negotiation Team for 18 years. Since joining the Minnesota House of Representatives, Witte has applied his experience to legislative work on committees such as the House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee.

He has played a significant role in supporting law enforcement at the state level. Witte was involved in bipartisan efforts aimed at clarifying state laws that had caused confusion and resulted in School Resource Officers being removed from schools across Minnesota. As a former SRO himself, this issue is personally important to him. He has also worked on measures to enhance officer training programs and secure support for officers injured while on duty. Furthermore, he authored legislation that commemorates fallen officers from Burnsville by naming a local bridge after them.

"Representative Jeff Witte (R-Lakeville), has been named their 2025 Legislator of the Year," stated MPPOA officials.