Jerald Westberg

J.R. Westberg is the Opioid Response Coordinator for the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, responsible for overseeing various agency-wide programs and initiatives related to the agency's comprehensive opioid response strategy. Before joining the Sheriff’s Office, J.R. spent 17 years as a trauma researcher at Hennepin County Medical Center, where he focused on the role of acute trauma as a precursor to opioid addiction. He led efforts to revamp and establish new opioid prescription protocols, achieving a substantial reduction in post-operative opioid prescriptions. Additionally, he was an active member of the hospital's opioid stewardship committee and contributed to the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement, focusing on best practices for opioid prescriptions.

The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) is charged with keeping and preserving the peace in Hennepin County, the most populated county in Minnesota with nearly 1.3 million residents. The HCSO’s full strength is approximately 900 employees and is comprised of six bureaus: Public Safety Services, Investigations, Administrative Services, Public Affairs, Court and Field Services, and Detention Services.  The HCSO also operates the second largest jail in the Midwest, housing over 800 residents, and is one of the few detention facilities that offers detainees the full suite of medications for opioid use disorder. The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office is a proactive organization that participates in and hosts community programs to promote positive interactions with law enforcement. 

The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office is led by Sheriff Dawanna S. Witt, who was sworn in on January 3, 2023.