Joe Leko isn't much of a showboater. He's worked behind the scenes and has held almost every job in the Dakota County Sheriff's Office, including head of the county's Drug Task Force, head of the patrol division and, since May, head of the jail.
On Jan. 2, he'll become the chief deputy, the No. 2 cop, in the office. He was one of four people interviewed by Sheriff-elect Tim Leslie and was the troop's choice.
"Joe, he's got a ton of potential and he redid basically our whole policy manual," Leslie said. "He's unsung. He's one of these guys who rolls up his sleeves and gets things done."
Leko, 44 and currently a captain, was the first in his family to become a law enforcer. He's originally from West St. Paul, where he went to the old Archbishop Brady High School. He now lives in Inver Grove Heights with his wife and two children.
He attended the University of Minnesota, intending to become a conservation officer with the Department of Natural Resources, but since that job required a law enforcement degree, he went to Inver Hills Community College. He worked part-time for the county on the sheriff's water patrol in college and the deputy he worked with recommended him for a job.
"I never looked back," Leko said.
Leko has worked as a court security officer, school resource officer, patrol officer, and a narcotics and drug investigator. In 2006, he was promoted to sergeant and assigned to the patrol unit. He was an agent/team leader for the Dakota County Drug Task Force from 2007 to 2009 when he became its commander.
He became a captain in 2011, then commander of the detention services unit, overseeing court security, transport and the jail.
