Tony Cornish, a three-term legislator from Vernon Center, has been hired as interim police chief of Lake Crystal.

Cornish, 56, has 27 years experience in law enforcement, including 22 years as a conservation officer for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

He resigned from the DNR on Jan. 2, 2003 — the day before he was sworn in as a legislator. A federal law prohibits employees of a state executive branch from being elected officials.

“I never really wanted to leave police work,” Cornish said.

The interim job will last for as long as the Lake Crystal City Council wants it to, Cornish said. If chosen, he said he’d like to work in that position until he retires.

And Cornish jokes that he’ll have to watch his driving, even as police chief. His son, Gabe, works the area as a State Patrol trooper.

Cornish hopes to begin the job Aug. 13.

For the complete story, see Tuesday’s edition of The Free Press