# Nicollet County Sheriff Candidate Forum


**Body:** City of Saint Peter, Minnesota
**Date:** September 24, 2026
**Jurisdiction:** SLED

**Tags:** Public Safety, Grants & Funding


This meeting was a candidate forum for the Nicollet County Sheriff position, held by the City of Saint Peter, Minnesota, on September 23, 2026. The forum featured candidates Chad Honagger and Aaron Peterson discussing their qualifications, priorities, and approaches to law enforcement leadership. Key topics included community engagement, mental health crisis response, gun violence prevention, immigration enforcement policies, and budgetary challenges. Both candidates emphasized the importance of maintaining minimum staffing levels for safety and operational effectiveness amid budget constraints. They also addressed the role of the sheriff's office in immigration enforcement, with both opposing participation in a 287G agreement. The candidates discussed strategies for improving community policing and building relationships with diverse community groups. No specific procurement, contracting, or budget allocation decisions were made during this forum.

**Source:** City of Saint Peter, Minnesota