Mower County Chief Deputy Terese Amazi announced her intention to run for the Sheriff’s office Friday after Sheriff Barry Simonson announced he would retire at the end of the year.

Sunday, March 24, 2002

Mower County Chief Deputy Terese Amazi announced her intention to run for the Sheriff’s office Friday after Sheriff Barry Simonson announced he would retire at the end of the year.

If Amazi is elected, it will be a first for Minnesota. "As far as I know, no county in the state has ever elected a female sheriff," Amazi said. "There have been a few unelected female sheriffs-in some cases because their husbands died and they signed on to finish the term."

Amazi has spent nearly 17 years in law enforcement, 14 of which have been with the Mower County Sheriff’s Department. In Mower County, she has worked as an assistant jailer, a deputy sheriff, a detective and became the chief deputy four years ago.

Amazi’s decision comes as a result of Simonson’s retirement. "If the Sheriff was going to run, I would not. That was something Barry and I worked out a long time ago," she says.

Amazi says she’s "looking forward to pursing other avenues … no matter which way I would go (if she remained Chief Deputy or became Sheriff), it would be a challenge."

With the possibility of being the first elected female sheriff in the state, she says she doesn’t feel "any added pressure, it’s just something I’ve always wanted to do."

She also hopes to be a positive role model for children, especially girls. "When I speak at high schools I tell them I have done it, they can as well. I always say you can be anything you want to be, and I’ve held that to be true."

Simonson says he is pleased Amazi is running. As the chief deputy, he says Amazi "has been a real asset and a great help in carrying out necessary duties." He also says he is certain that if she is elected, she will be successful in carrying out projects such as the renovation of the Mower County Jail and the radio technology expansion.

Simonson and Amazi agree that in order to be a good sheriff, one has to be willing to listen to people and talk to them. "Barry is a great listener and he’s taught me a lot about listening to people," she says. "It used to be something I wasn’t very good at, but I think really think he’s taught me a lot."

Call Amanda L. Rohde at 434-2214 or e-mail her at amanda.rohde@austindailyherald.com