The 2021 Vocational Service Award
The 2021 Arden Hills- Shoreview Rotary Club Vocational Service Award is awarded to Mr. Michael Campion.
Mr. Campion is from the law enforcement community, currently employed as the Assistant Director of Ministerial Standards and Safe Environment by the Archdiocese of St. Paul.
We ask of the nominees the following questions:
- How has this person excelled at the profession?
- Has this person won any recognition from peers, managers or organizations?
- Would you hold this person up as one who exhibits “Service Above Self” as well as ethical standards in their daily life both professionally and socially?
- Has this person demonstrated leadership skills and other laudable character traits?
- Has this person interacted with, mentored and helped younger colleagues with their careers?
Mr. Campion’s nomination met all the criteria, as described by his following accomplishments (excerpts from the nomination):
Mike began his long law enforcement career in 1978 when he was hired as a Special Agent by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) after he graduated from St. Thomas College. He began working narcotics investigations, which is how I met Mike in the early 80’s. In 1989 he was appointed Assistant Superintendent of the BCA. In May, 2000 the Minnesota Commissioner of Public Safety appointed Mike as the Superintendent of the BCA. Mike served as Superintendent until April, 2004.
He was the first agent of the BCA to ever serve as its Superintendent. In April, 2004 Mike was nominated by the Governor to be Commissioner of the Department Public Safety (DPS) and was confirmed by the Minnesota Senate. Mike served as the DPS Commissioner through February, 2011. Mike’s rise through the ranks from agent to commissioner of the entire public safety department is clear recognition of his abilities from managers and organizations.
Mike exhibited “Service Above Self” in his profession and maintained high ethical standards throughout his career as exemplified by the following.
In 2005 the Minnesota Legislature established a state level Gang and Drug Oversight Council outside of and independent from the Department of Public Safety. The legislation mandated the creation of a Metro Gang Strike Force under the supervision of the Council. The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office was the fiscal agent. State grants and forfeiture proceeds primarily funded the Strike Force. Complaints arose and there was an audit of the Metro Gang Strike Force by the Legislative Auditor. Mike as DPS Commissioner stopped state funding and suspended the Strike Force’s operations. Troubled by allegations calling into question the integrity of some of the Strike Force’s investigators, Mike asked the FBI to investigate and initiated a state probe. He hired former federal prosecutor Andrew Luger and retired FBI agent John Egelhof to review the unit’s operations. Mike’s actions were not universally popular within the law enforcement community. However, Mike has never been one to cover up law enforcement failings due to his high ethical standards.
Under Mike’s leadership the BCA and the DPS never engaged in the sort of criminal conduct recently exposed to obtain wiretaps or electronic surveillance warrants, targeted political opponents of the administration in power for criminal persecution or avoided prosecution of political allies of the administration in power. Mike was viewed by the law enforcement community as nonpartisan law enforcement professional. Nor has Mike ever run for office as a political partisan
Linda, Tim and Dave all benefited from Mike’s mentoring and interaction.
Linda Finney began her career with the BCA and while Mike was Assistant Superintendent and then Superintendent rose to supervisory positions. When Mike became the Commissioner of Public Safety, Linda became the Superintendent of the BCA in August, 2004. Linda was the first female and the first Black superintendent
Tim O’Malley also rose through the ranks at the BCA along with Mike.
Dave Bjerga is now a part-time investigator working with Tim and Mike after having retired from the BCA.
Linda Finney began her career with the BCA and while Mike was Assistant Superintendent and then Superintendent rose to supervisory positions. When Mike became the Commissioner of Public Safety, Linda became the Superintendent of the BCA in August, 2004. Linda was the first female and the first Black superintendent
Tim O’Malley also rose through the ranks at the BCA along with Mike.
Dave Bjerga is now a part-time investigator working with Tim and Mike after having retired from the BCA.
Vocational Service Committee: Elinor Jackson, Bill Klumpp, Anoop Mathur