Dakota County Sheriff-elect Joe Leko appoints chief deputy

Gabrielle Lombard, Pioneer Press
·1 min read

Dakota County Sheriff-elect Joe Leko has appointed one of the department’s captains to be his chief deputy when he takes office in January.

Capt. Dan Bianconi has a 22-year tenure in the department and has held many duties and ranks since 2001 when was hired as a deputy, according to a sheriff’s office release.

“Dan is proven and has an outstanding reputation across law enforcement and the community,” Leko said in the release. “He brings strong leadership and has been instrumental in the development of our personnel and operations.”

Leko ran for sheriff unopposed after Sheriff Tim Leslie opted not to run for re-election. He takes office on Jan. 2.

Bianconi was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2009 with assignments in investigations, patrol and as commander of the Dakota County Drug Task Force. In 2014, he was promoted to captain, where he took on detention services and administration.

Bianconi also obtained his master’s degree in criminal justice leadership from Concordia University and graduated from the Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command in 2021.

Bianconi said he hopes to continue in the right direction of recruiting quality people to work for the sheriff’s office and be prepared for the variety of potential challenges that may arise within his new role.

“I recognize that I’m stepping into a position that was filled by some pretty big shoes and there’s a lot of momentum that we have have going,” Bianconi said. “Serving others is rewarding, and that’s why I have chosen to do this.”

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