After spending more than 48 years with the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, former Chief Deputy David “Bones” Einertson officially retired January 14, 2022. With a 50-year career in public service, Einertson considers his time at the Sheriff’s Office among his greatest experiences.
Einertson grew up just outside of Des Moines, Iowa and was 1 of 9 children. After graduating high school in 1963, he served in the U.S. Army for two years, earning the rank of Sergeant E5. After attending Ellsworth Community College in Iowa, Einertson moved north to attend Minnesota State University in Mankato, where he earned his BS in Sociology and Psychology.
In 1971, Einertson began working for Scott County Court Services as a Probation Case Aide. In 1973, he was hired by the Sheriff’s Office as a Deputy under Sheriff Bob Moody and has been here ever since. Around this time, he was given the nickname of “Bones,” by another deputy for his lanky, slender build (6-foot-3, 160 pounds). “I was about as skinny as you could get,” he said.
Einertson said that there were major advancements in technology at the Sheriff’s Office during this time. He said that when he started, there was only one law enforcement radio channel and no computers, and it was ‘long distance’ to make a phone call from Belle Plaine to New Prague (and vice versa). Einertson also explained that the office was not divided into divisions as it is today, and that the deputies covered shifts in the jail and in dispatch.
In 1980, he began working as a detective and took advanced training at the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension in Minneapolis. During this time, Sheriff Moody and Dick Mulcrone, the Director of Court Services, were awarded a grant to spend on crime scene training, specialized equipment, and a crime scene van. Einertson and fellow deputy, Bill Nevin, were selected to be the first Crime Scene Investigators in the Sheriff’s Office. With an affinity for technology and love of learning, Einertson took extensive training in Texas to become the only polygraph operator (certified by the American Polygraph Association) in Scott County (1 of 5 in the entire state of Minnesota).
This would also become one of the busiest and memorable times for him as an investigator, working on two of the largest, most infamous criminal cases in Scott County to-date: the ‘Cermak family sex abuse case’ and what would become known as the ‘Jordan Sex Scandal’. Einertson said he was proud of the work he did on the Cermak case and was happy to see that everybody involved was charged was convicted. He also said that he considered the Jordan case a failure of justice, with so many lives negatively affected and without a proper closing.
In 1984, Einertson was promoted to Sergeant and continued this investigative work while working under Sheriff Doug Tietz.
Einertson was appointed to Chief Deputy in 1987, under Sheriff Bill Nevin – a position he held for the next 13 years. During this time, he received advanced training from the FBI Academy, was involved with coordinating the activities of the divisions within the Sheriff’s Office. He also reviewed background checks on potential employees, issued permits to purchase or carry handguns, dealt with the day-to-day management of the office, and worked on the budget.
In 2000, Einertson retired, only to return part-time to the Sheriff’s Office three months later. He continued right where he left of with the task of processing firearm permits. Even in his late 70s, Einertson still has an affinity for technology. He has processed firearms from all corners of the country via a secure remote connection.
All in all, he served under six sheriffs. When asked, Einertson said that he would miss the daily involvement at the Sheriff’s Office the most. He said, “Being a cop in general, you have to be a problem solver in all sorts of cases and that’s the fun part.” He added, “The biggest advantage I’ve had over a lot of other people is that I really liked my job.”
“Thank you for decades of service to our community and for giving me a shot 25 years ago when you hired me to work in our jail,” said Sheriff Luke Hennen. “He has been a trailblazer for the Sheriff’ Office and will leave behind a legacy of honor, service, and integrity. He will be greatly missed.”
David "Bones" Einertson (photo taken 2018)
David "Bones" Einertson (photo taken in 1970s)
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