Editor’s note: On Friday, June 30, 2017, Mike Lewis announced his intention to run for the position of Whiteside County Sheriff. Thecity1.com requested information about the candidate in August.
Veteran Whiteside County Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Lewis formally announced his candidacy as a Republican, to serve both civilians and fellow law enforcement officers as the next Sheriff of Whiteside County. Lewis’s campaign for Sheriff is rooted in Republican values and focused on service and improving the community.
“I’m running because Whiteside needs a fresh start, and I have the commitment, the work ethic, and the experience to get the job done,” said Lewis, to a large group of family, friends, and supporters. “I’m not the incumbent or part of any political machine, but I am part of this community, and I can’t stand by any longer. I understand the challenges and problems we face. Waiting is rarely the right answer for solving problems and helping people,” Lewis added.
Lewis has a lifetime of experience as a law enforcement officer. He began his service by enlisting in the military and was deployed in the Gulf War. Upon his return, Mike worked to put himself through the program of studies in Criminal Justice ,offered by the Police Academy at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, IL. There, Lewis worked to complete 480 hours of intensive training over 14 weeks and was licensed by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board. He served as an Officer in Lanark, IL, for three years before he began his service in the Whiteside County Sheriff’s Department. Throughout the nearly two decades Lewis has spent serving his community, he has lived in his hometown of Rock Falls, IL, with his wife Shelly and two children, Alan and Paige. Lewis, a graduate of Rock Falls High School, has since been active in local educational policy. He served as President of the Montmorency School Board, and is currently serving as President of the Board of Education of Rock Falls High School.
As his campaign continues, Lewis will talk more about his plans to improve the Sheriff’s services for County residents. “I have seen enough over the years, to know that if we are not doing more, what we’re doing is not enough–not for our fellow officers, not for our neighbors, and certainly not for the memory of those who wore the uniform before us,” said Lewis.
In the coming months Lewis will focus on meeting members of the community to better understand their needs, concerns, and problems. He invites them to “meet Mike” at campaign and community events throughout the following months.
Most recently, the Lewis for Sheriff campaign worked with a group of sponsors–Sterling Motors, Green River Riders, Triple P BBQ, Tin Roof Tavern, Elite Custom Cycle, and Midwest Mulisha–to host a charitable event on Sunday, July 9, 2017. [There was] a Fun Run at 10:00 a.m. [followed by] live music at 6:00 p.m., when the Cal Stage Band perform[ed].
“This [was] not a fundraiser for our campaign; this [was] a charitable event,” Lewis explained. “Every dollar raised will go to April House, a children’s advocacy center in Morrison, IL, and Jessie’s Mile, a charitable event benefiting the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.”