The Minnesota Department of Human Rights today announced the hiring of two additional enforcement officers. Christopher Anderson is currently working as an enforcement officer in the department's Contract Compliance unit, and John Helcl II is currently working as an enforcement officer in the department's Intake Unit.Both joined the Department of Human Rights in October.

Commissioner Kevin Lindsey called the addition of two full-time investigators an important step in fulfilling the department's pledge to investigate all charges of discrimination, and to reduce to time it takes to reach a determination on charges to significantly less than the one year required by statute.

Before joining the Department of Human Rights, Helcl pursued a career in law enforcement as a police officer in Morton, MN, and as a federal security officer under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's office at Fort Snelling. He also served as assistant to the Maplewood, MN city manager.

Helcl holds a master's degree in public administration from Minnesota State University, Mankato and earned his bachelor's degree in law enforcement and ethnic studies. He lives in Hastings, MN.

Anderson previously worked as a veteran's claims representative in outreach for the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs. He had also worked for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and served as an equal opportunity and inspector general superintendent in the U.S. Air Force.

He holds a degree in business management from the University of Phoenix, and is completing his master's degree in organizational leadership. Anderson lives in Chisago City, MN.

In announcing the hiring of two additional staff, Commissioner Lindsey noted that charges filed with the Department of Human Rights increased 20 percent in the first six months of 2011.

We are pleased that we were able to find two highly qualified candidates to help us meet the challenge of an increasing number of charges, and we're confident that their skills will help us move even further toward our goal of ending discrimination in Minnesota, Lindsey said.

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For more information contact Jeff Holman, 651.539.1090, jeff.holman@state.mn.us