Rankin earns Award of Merit

Beltrami County Sheriff's Deputy Steve Rankin was awarded the Award of Merit for his investigation into the case of a 15-year-old female runaway who was believed to be on a bus en route to Chicago. Chicago police found the girl and Rankin arranged for her and her mother to be reunited. Rankin was able to identify an adult male suspect who had communicated with the girl via text and lured her to him. Rankin's diligence, creativity and willingness to go the extra mile exemplifies good law enforcement determination to successfully resolve a case, said Sheriff Phil Hodapp. From left are Hodapp, Rankin and Chief Deputy Mike Bakke.