OLIVIA — One day before the greater Burnsville community joined to remember three first responders who gave their lives in the line of duty, Renville County honored one of its own for putting his life at risk as had they.
Renville County Sheriff Scott Hable was joined by the Renville County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 27 in presenting a Distinguished Service award to Sheriff’s Deputy Jordan Larsen. “A public servant and a protector,” said Sheriff Hable as he described the officer’s courage in responding alone to a violent domestic assault that resulted in the death of 13-year-old Isaac Hoff.
The award was one of two the sheriff presented that day. He also awarded Sheriff’s Deputy Braydon Ortloff the office’s Chris Domeier award. It honors officers for community-oriented policing. The award has been presented annually since Domeier’s death nearly 14 years ago to recognize law officers who demonstrate exceptional community-oriented policing skills and are determined law enforcers.
“Professional and calm, yet enforces the law,” said Hable of Ortloff. He lauded the patrol officer’s ability to build rapport with those he serves, especially young people. Last year, Ortloff responded to 814 calls for service, including 387 traffic stops he initiated on his own. “Not one complaint,’’ said the sheriff, adding: “So many times we hear about the kindness of Braydon.”
The Renville County awards were presented one day before the memorial services for Burnsville police officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge and firefighter-paramedic Adam Finseth. They were fatally wounded by gunfire when responding to a Feb. 18 standoff.
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Sheriff Hable said the award to Larsen was two years in the waiting. The department did not want to risk compromising court proceedings that followed the incident to which Larsen responded.
The officer was the closest to the scene of a domestic assault reported just before 6 a.m. on March 22, 2022, in Olivia. The call from dispatch told him there was a domestic with an erratic man with a knife and relayed the fact that one person had already been stabbed, said the sheriff. Larsen could hear cries for help from inside the apartment as he approached it.
The sheriff said that under the circumstances, it would have been acceptable for the officer to wait for backup to arrive. Larsen did not know when other officers could reach the site.
Without hesitation, he entered the apartment and confronted, contained and neutralized the suspect, according to the sheriff. His response ensured that all of the others inside were protected from the assailant, he said.
Larsen was able to secure the scene and make it safe for others to enter. He turned his attention to caring for the stabbing victim, according to the sheriff’s narrative of the incident. He also assisted an infant caught in this unfortunate set of circumstances.
“In the clear face of danger, Deputy Larsen made entry into the apartment not knowing where the suspect was, but knowing someone was badly injured and needing help,” said the sheriff.
The nomination to recognize Larsen cited his “courage, bravery, thoroughness and consciousnesses, determination and initiative” while responding alone.
“He ran in alone. He ran towards the danger. That’s a true protector,” said the sheriff in his presentation.
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The sheriff, commissioners and family members of the two officers applauded as the awards were presented.
Houston Allen Morris, 40, is serving a nearly 17-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to charges of second degree murder, without intent, and second degree assault in the death of Hoff. The criminal complaint charged that Morris had grabbed a knife from Hoff’s mother and plunged into the boy’s chest when attempting to strike the mother.
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