Minnesota State Patrol fosters family’s ‘passion to serve’
May 25, 2023
When Tim Vaagenes stepped forward on Tuesday to accept his Minnesota State Patrol badge, the joy and pride his family felt was palpable. His wife, Trooper Sarah Vaagenes, pinned on the badge and the two shared a respectful handshake before breaking out into grins and hugging their two children.
Tim, a 14-year-veteran of law enforcement, graduated with the 67th Academy Class after being recruited to the agency by his wife, who has been a trooper for four years. He was drawn to law enforcement because it offered the opportunity for a career that was more than just a job.
“I've always had a passion to serve. It's always been in my heart," Tim said.
Cadets in the State Patrol's 67th graduating class began training at Camp Ripley on Feb. 13. Training included motor vehicle crash investigation, traffic law, emergency vehicle operations, scenario-based de-escalation, communication, and mental health crisis training and defensive tactics.
After graduation, cadets will attend additional training at the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension before starting field training with another trooper. Following successful completion of field training, they will begin their solo patrols on Aug. 30.
“It was a big leap of faith to come here and 'start over,' but he's not starting over, he's moving forward," Sarah said.
The couple likes to say they met in jail. They were both working as corrections officers in Pine County when they met and fell in love. They got married in 2015 while working as sheriff's deputies in the same county.
Sarah took a year off to parent their two children. Sarah then joined the Minnesota State Patrol in 2019. After working alongside troopers as a member of a partner agency, she knew that was where she wanted to be.
“I love interacting with the community," Sarah said. “We have one of the greatest jobs in the world."
Sarah is a district recruiter in the Duluth area. She was at a recruiter meeting talking about the benefits of working for the State Patrol when she wondered: Should Tim be here too?
It had been on Tim's mind already. He was impressed with the level of training Sarah received as a trooper and the professionalism of the agency. He knew from watching his wife's success and career that the State Patrol was a great place to work, one where you could make a difference and be there for Minnesotans on the worst days of their lives. He saw the core values of the agency — respect, integrity, honor, courage and excellence — reflected in his marriage.
“I see those values in her every single day, professionally and at home," Tim said. “Leaving the family for 14 weeks was hard, but I was leaving them in great hands."
To learn more about how you can have a career in the State Patrol, visit our website.