Scott County Sheriff Luke Hennen announced three staff promotions this week.

Sgt. Jacob Edwinson has been promoted to captain of the Support & Services Division, Detective Kayla Puncochar has been promoted to sergeant, and Public Safety Telecommunicator Missy Mullenmeister has been promoted to public safety communications supervisor.

Edwinson began his law enforcement career with the Cannon Falls Police Department in 2013 before joining the Scott County Sheriff’s Office in 2017. He has served in multiple roles including crime scene team member, field training officer, drug recognition expert, standardized field sobriety test instructor and recreational safety deputy. Following his promotion to sergeant in 2021, he was assigned to the patrol division where he supported patrol operations and also supervised a variety of programs. Edwinson holds a bachelor’s degree in law enforcement from Minnesota State University, Mankato and has completed extensive leadership and professional development training.

Puncochar has been promoted to sergeant after serving as a detective in the investigations unit for more than eight years. She began her career as a patrol officer with the Faribault Police Department before joining the Scott County Sheriff’s Office in 2014. During her time with Scott County, she has served in patrol, court security and investigations, and has contributed to several key initiatives including the crime scene team, domestic violence investigations, the Teen Academy, Community Academy and recruitment efforts. With her promotion, Puncochar becomes the first female deputy in the history of the Scott County Sheriff’s Office to be promoted to the rank of sergeant.

Missy Mullenmeister has been promoted to public safety communications supervisor. She joined the sheriff’s office in 2021 after a 16-year career with the YMCA, where she held multiple leadership roles managing school-age program sites across the Twin Cities metro area. Since joining the communications division, she has served as a public safety telecommunicator and communications training officer, where she has helped train and mentor new dispatchers. In her new role, she will help oversee daily operations within the 911 communications center and continue supporting the development of public safety telecommunicators. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Winona State University and has more than 20 years of leadership and training experience.

“Each of these individuals has demonstrated exceptional leadership, professionalism and dedication to serving our community,” Hennen said. “They have earned the respect of their peers and have continually gone above and beyond in their roles. I am confident they will continue to make a positive impact on our organization and the residents we serve.”