Once political foes, Ramsey County Sheriff-elect Bob Fletcher and retired St. Paul Police Chief Bill Finney soon will be working together.

Fletcher tapped Finney to join his leadership team, the incoming sheriff announced Wednesday. Finney will be undersheriff of community relations.

Finney became Minnesota’s first African-American police chief when he took over the St. Paul police department in 1992.

In 2006, Finney ran against Fletcher for sheriff in a contentious race and narrowly lost. But Fletcher said Wednesday he has always respected Finney.

“He brings years of experience and community relations that are second to none in Minnesota,” Fletcher said.

Fletcher’s top brass also will include Senior Cmdr. Tina McNamara, who heads the St. Paul Police Department’s homicide unit, and Dave Metusalem, director of the largest association in the state representing rank-and-file officers.

“My goal as sheriff is to create an organization where we can merge the best of community policing with the ever-changing world that we live in,” said Fletcher, who was sheriff for 16 years before being voted out in 2010.

Fletcher was elected sheriff again in November after challenging Sheriff Jack Serier. He will be sworn in Jan. 8.

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Police: 15-year-old has life-threatening injuries after being shot in face in St. Paul Fletcher said he and Finney have been meeting and talking for the last year about issues facing law enforcement, including “the growing gap between communities of color and law enforcement” and bridging it through building trust.

Finney, who spent more than 30 years with the St. Paul police department before retiring in 2004, said Wednesday that he and Fletcher share the same goals of “making the Ramsey County sheriff’s office more inclusive and diverse to reflect what the community population looks like.”

Fletcher said other members of his team will include:

Metusalem, who will be chief deputy. He worked for the sheriff’s office for 29 years and previously served in the same position as Fletcher’s second-in-command. He is executive director of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association.

McNamara, who will be undersheriff of court and security services. She’s been in charge of the St. Paul police homicide and robbery unit for more than four years and with the police department for more than 25 years. She was a finalist to become St. Paul’s police chief in 2016.

Jeff Ramacher, who will be undersheriff of public safety services, which leads patrol services for Arden Hills, Falcon Heights, Little Canada, North Oaks, Shoreview, Vadnais Heights and White Bear Township. He is commander of the unit now and has worked for the sheriff’s office for 21 years.

Mike Martin, who will be undersheriff of regional services. He has more than 28 years of experience, in leadership positions as a Minneapolis police officer and now as the University of Minnesota’s assistant director of emergency management. He was initially in the running for Ramsey County sheriff, but stepped out of the race before Fletcher announced his bid.

Roy Magnuson, who will be public information officer. He’s been a teacher at Como Park Senior High School since 1993 and a coach at the school since 1979. In addition to leading communications, he will broaden youth service and crime prevention efforts, Fletcher said.

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Business is booming for UV technology, the radiation that kills viruses In the sheriff’s office current administration, there are five undersheriffs, including one in charge of the jail.

Fletcher said he expects to announce a detention superintendent next week; it will be a civilian position because jail staff are civilians, it’s more cost efficient, and most detention facilities are run by civilian superintendents, Fletcher said.