Maplewood Appoints New Public Safety Director

Press release from the City of Maplewood:

June 22, 2021

Maplewood, MN – After a thorough interview process that included members of the Multicultural Advisory Committee (MAC), law enforcement leaders from neighboring communities, city council members, the business community, civilian staff and city administrators, Maplewood is proud to announce our next Public Safety Director, Brian Bierdeman.

Lt. Bierdeman has served the Maplewood Police Department nearly 20 years, leading such initiatives as mental health outreach, community engagement, officer recruitment, training and the Street Crimes Unit. He currently oversees the Patrol Division. He also served as a K9 handler and on the SWAT for over a decade.

Lt. Bierdeman was instrumental in developing and now leads the City’s Multicultural Advisory Committee (MAC), which provides critical community voices to the department’s strategic planning, use of force, training policy, and hiring.

“I am humbled and honored to be selected as Maplewood’s next Public Safety Director/Police Chief. Over the last decade, we have worked on important issues, including transparency, community outreach, problem-solving, and hiring a workforce that better reflects the community we serve,” said Lt. Bierdeman. “I look forward to continuing to work with some of the state’s finest police officers and firefighters/paramedics as we continue leading in these critical areas.”

“Through the interview process, we were impressed with Lt. Bierdeman’s success leading large-scale projects, such as the formation of the MAC, that have helped improve community transparency and increase connection among staff and the community,” said Melinda Coleman, City Manager.

Lt. Bierdeman is attaining his Master’s Degree from University of the Cumberlands in Kentucky. He received his Bachelor’s degree at Minnesota State University Moorhead. His first day in the new role is July 1st.

Lt. Bierdeman’s hiring coincides with Chief Scott Nadeau’s retirement on June 30th. Through his 33-year career, Chief Nadeau has built a legacy for strong police-community relations, hiring candidates that better reflect the City’s needs, transparency and trust. Chief Nadeau set in motion a professional development initiative that ensured members at all levels of the Police Department were ready for their next leadership role. That provided the city confidence to hire from within.

This press release was produced by the City of Maplewood. The views expressed here are the author’s own.