Meet Joe Leko
Dakota County Sheriff Joe Leko began his law enforcement career with the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office in 1997 as a deputy. Throughout his career, he has served in a variety of assignments, including courts and transport, school resource officer, water patrol, patrol, and drug and gang investigations.
In 2006, he was promoted to sergeant, where he supervised patrol operations and later served as a team leader with the Dakota County Drug Task Force. In 2009, he was appointed commander of the Dakota County Drug Task Force, leading collaborative efforts to combat illegal drug activity throughout Dakota County and the Twin Cities region.
Leko served on the South Metro SWAT Team for 11 years and became the team’s first certified explosive breacher. In 2011, he was promoted to captain and oversaw the Patrol Division before assuming command of the Detention Services Division in 2014, which includes court security, inmate transport and the county’s jail operations.
In 2015, Sheriff Tim Leslie appointed Leko as chief deputy, managing and leading day-to-day office operations, a position he held for eight years.
Following Sheriff Leslie’s retirement, Leko was elected Dakota County’s 21st sheriff in 2022 and took office in January 2023. He has dedicated his entire 29-year law enforcement career to the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office, including nearly 20 years in leadership positions. Sheriff Leko is widely respected throughout the profession and among community leaders for his integrity, collaborative leadership, sound judgment and commitment to public service.
Education
- Master of Arts in Public Safety Administration from the University of St. Thomas
- Bachelor of Science from the University of Minnesota
- Associate of Arts from Inver Hills Community College
- Graduate of the FBI National Academy (264 Session), Quantico, Virginia
