About the Board of Directors

Licensed Seats

President Mark Edlund

ELK RIVER POLICE DEPARTMENT

13077 Orono Pkwy

Elk River, MN 55330

(763) 635-1230

Email: medlund@lels.org

Mark Edlund is the President of Law Enforcement Labor Services (LELS). Mark has been a Police Officer for 24 years and has been with the City of Elk River since 1998, he is currently assigned to the Patrol Division as a Patrol Officer. Mark has also served as a Detective, Bike Patrol Officer, FTO and SWAT operator. Mark has served as a Part Time Officer with the Metro Transit Police Department since 2002 along with a combined 1.5 years of service as a part time officer with the Osseo Police Department (1997 & 2001-2002).

Mark was elected to the LELS board of directors in June of 2015 and has served in that capacity since that time. He was elected as the LELS Vice President in June 2021. In addition to his time on the executive board he has served as an Assistant Steward (2006) and is currently Steward (2015) for his local Patrol & Detectives bargaining group. Mark has a variety of experience in contract negotiations, employee grievances and mediation.

Mark has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from St. Mary’s University. He volunteers as an active member of the Dayton Lions Club and is a member of Law Enforcement United – Team Minnesota.

Mark is married with three children and enjoys watching them participate in sports, spending time with them, travelling, and enjoying the outdoors.

Vice President Kevin Sonstebo

FERGUS FALLS POLICE DEPARTMENT

122 West Junius

Fergus Falls, MN 56537

(218) 205-5150

Email: ksonstebo@lels.org

Kevin Sonstebo is the Vice President of Law Enforcement Labor Services (LELS). He has been an Officer with the Fergus Falls Police Department since 2004, working in various divisions including Patrol, Investigations, and School Resource Officer. He is currently a Patrol Sergeant with the Department and Union Steward for the Sgt's Local. Prior employment has included working as a Patrol Officer for the City of Benson and as a Correctional Officer for the Ottertail County Sheriff's Office. He has served as a Union Steward in all of those positions and for the Patrol Officers Local prior to promotion.

Kevin has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from MN State University Moorhead. He currently serves on the local Salvation Army Board.

Kevin was nominated to the LELS board in 2017 and has served as a Director with assignment to Secretary/Treasurer in 2021.

LELS has a great team of dedicated professionals taking care of its' members and he is pleased to have been involved with the success and growth of those it serves over the years.

Secretary / Treasurer Nick Joyce

BURNSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT

100 Civic Center Parkway

Burnsville, MN 55337

(952) 769-3451

Email: njoyce@lels.org

Nick Joyce is the Secretary / Treasurer for Law Enforcement Labor Services (LELS). He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2021. Nick has been a Police Officer with the Burnsville Police Department since 2016 and currently serves as their Union Local’s Vice President.

Nick currently is assigned to their Patrol division, and also serves in roles as a Physical Evidence Officer, Crisis Negotiator, Honor Guard Member, and is a part of the Department’s Peer Support Team.

Additionally, Nick also works with Minnesota CIT, teaching and coaching members of Police Departments, Sheriffs Offices, Fire/EMS Departments, and other entities throughout Minnesota and the upper Midwest. Nick takes passion in the topic of mental health, not just for the public, but for his fellow Officers in his department and the profession as a whole.

Outside of work, Nick enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, golfing (well ... attempting to), fishing, and being an avid Minnesota sports fan.

Director Brian Krook

WASHINGTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT

15015 62nd St North

Stillwater, MN 55082

(651) 485-4981

Email: bkrook@lels.org

Brian Krook is a Director on the Board of Law Enforcement Labor Services (LELS). Brian Krook has been a Deputy with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office since 2010. He is currently assigned to the Court Security Unit. Prior to the Court Security Unit, he was on Patrol for the first nine years of his career.

Brian also serves as an Explorer Advisor, SWAT Operator/Sniper and Range & Less Lethal Instructor. Brian has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Law Enforcement from Metropolitan State University.

Brian was elected to the LELS Board in June of 2022. He has been involved with the Washington County Sheriff’s Deputy Union since 2012, previously serving as Vice President and now serves as the President of the Deputy’s union.

In Brian’s free time he enjoys going up to his family’s lake cabin and taking part in waterskiing, riding ATVs and snowmobiling in the winter.

Director Mike McDougall

ST LOUIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

100 North 5th Avenue West

Duluth, MN 55802

(218) 310-2458

Email: mmcdougall@lels.org

Michael McDougall is a Director on the Board of Law Enforcement Labor Services (LELS). Mike “Spike” McDougall has been a Deputy Sheriff for the County of St. Louis for 17.5 years primarily working in the Patrol Division.

He was elected to the LELS Board of Directors in June of 2019. In addition Mike has served on the MPPOA Board of Directors since June of 2011 and in a leadership role on his local union board for 11 years (currently as president). Mike has much experience in contract negotiations, grievances, arbitration, and FLSA. He has an Associate Degree in Law Enforcement from the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College and Skills Certificate from the Hibbing Community College.

Mike served nearly 23 years in the MN Air National Guard as a Security Forces member retiring in 2017. He served in a security and law enforcement role in many locations throughout the world during his career and was activated for 2 years in 2001.

In his free time he enjoys attending motorsports events and working in the garage with his kids. Mike raced dirt track cars up until 2005 and now helps out as a member of the board of directors at his local track.

Director John Vette

WHITE BEAR LAKE POLICE DEPARTMENT

4701 Highway 61

White Bear Lake, MN 55110

(651) 762-4877

Email: jvette@lels.org

John Vette is a Director on the board for Law Enforcement Labor Services (LELS). At 18 years old he served as a Police Reserve Officer for the City of White Bear Lake, and later worked as a Community Service Officer for the St. Cloud Police Department while attending St. Cloud State University.

Upon graduating with a bachelor’s in Criminal Justice in the year 2000, he began his full time career as a patrol officer with the St. Cloud Police Department. Some of his duties included field training, use of force instruction, and serving as a Juvenile investigator / School Resource Officer.

In 2008 John transitioned to the White Bear Lake Police Department, his hometown. He completed his Master’s Degree in Public Safety Executive Leadership in 2009 and has served WBLPD as a patrol officer, field training officer, instructor, and detective. In 2011 he was promoted to the position of Patrol Sergeant and serves as the Union Liaison for his bargaining unit. He administers social media platforms for his agency and is active in community engagement projects. Since 2018 he teaches adjunct in the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Departments at Century College.

John’s hobbies include spending time with his family and two children, enjoying baseball, speaking German, and volunteering for civic and church related organizations.

Director PAT MILES

MINNESOTA STATE PATROL

3489 Hadley Avenue North

Oakdale, MN 55128

(612) 432-0732

Email: pmiles@lels.org

Pat Miles is a Director on the board for Law Enforcement Labor Services (LELS).

Non-Licensed Seats

Director Tim Smith

ANOKA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

325 Jackson St

Anoka, MN 55303-2210

(763) 324-5106

Email: tsmith@lels.org

Tim Smith is a Director on the board for Law Enforcement Labor Services (LELS). He has worked for the the Anoka County Sheriff's Office since 1995 and is currently a Sergeant in the Jail Jail Division.

Tim was elected to the LELS Board of Directors in 2015. He is active in his union local, and is currently President of LELS Local 200 - Anoka County SO - Detention Sergeants and Lieutenants.

Tim's hobbies include hunting, kayaking and all outdoor activities.

Director Nicole BaumanN

STEARNS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

807 Courthouse Square

St. Cloud, MN 56303

(320) 251-4240

Email: NBaumann@lels.org

Nicole Baumann is a Director on the Board of Law Enforcement Labor Services (LELS). Nicole was nominated to the Board in 2023. She has been a 911 dispatcher with Stearns County Sheriff’s office since 2017. She dispatches police, fire, and EMS for all of Stearns County and its small-town partners, as well as St Cloud Police Department.

Nicole has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Language Communications from St. Cloud State University. She is also certified in Emergency Medical Dispatching (EMD), FEMA, CPR, BCA / MNJIS, Crisis Negotiations, Stress Identification and Management, Missing and Exploited Children: Response for First Responders, and others.

Nicole takes pride in being apart of the Stearns County Community Engagement Team, Social Media Team, Recruitment group, and also enjoys being a Field Training Officer.

Outside of work, Nicole enjoys spending time with her family and three dogs, gardening, fishing, traveling, and going to the gym.