With over a decade of dedicated service, Sergeant Matt Farmer has excelled in numerous roles within the 30-member New Brighton Department of Public Safety, showcasing a unique blend of operational expertise, community engagement, and strategic leadership. 

Following his time as a firefighter, Sgt. Farmer began his policing career as a patrol officer, quickly distinguishing himself through his commitment to proactive policing. He developed a strong focus on impaired driving enforcement and his expertise in this area led to his selection as the agency’s dedicated DWI officer. Building on his frontline experience, Sgt. Farmer was appointed as the agency’s Traffic Safety Coordinator  

Sgt. Farmer’s experience further expanded when he was chosen to serve as a school resource officer (SRO) at an area middle school. Due to his exceptional leadership and ability to connect with the community, even during a pandemic, Sgt. Farmer was promoted to a newly created position of community outreach, education, and intervention. In addition to these accomplishments, he has served as agency liaison to the police-faith community partnership, growing the group; developing new programs, such as a free one-day clinic; and establishing a community chaplain role. Sgt. Farmer has also authored a number of grants for his department, securing funding for new training and technology projects.  

Sgt. Farmer’s passion for officer wellness led him to transform a storage room at his department into a modern strength-training facility when most public workout facilities were closed due to COVID-19. He has also promoted access to a cadre of mental health experts and created a peer support team at his agency and volunteered for the city’s new wellness committee. 

“I wanted to go home at the end of the day knowing that what I did would make a positive impact on the community.”