I am honored to be Whiteside County’s Democratic Nominee for the Office of Whiteside County Sheriff. I want to extend my heartfelt thank you to the voters who supported me in this Primary race.
I am grateful to receive the nomination of the Democratic Party, along with the support of our former Republican Sheriffs and so many other Republicans. But I am even more grateful for the powerful statements made by their support. I have always said that politics has no place behind the wheel of a patrol car. I will never protect the citizens of this County based upon their political party membership.
In challenging times, it’s experience that makes the difference. As your Sheriff, I rely on my experience every day. I rely on experience to make the best decisions for Law Enforcement in this County.
Our County faces serious issues, and serious issues require serious leadership. During the next several months leading up to the General Election, I will continue to discuss my experience with the voters. I will continue to be honest about our challenges and about my plans to address them. I will be very happy to discuss the many things that set me apart from my opponent. After all, yard signs tell you nothing about the candidates behind them. Yard signs don’t do a darn thing to keep you safe.
My office has several priorities. Our schools must be safe. Our children deserve nothing less. As your Sheriff, I will continue to develop and expand a School Safety Task Force, comprised of Teachers, Administrators, Law Enforcement Officers, and Parents. We will work, together, to ensure that no child is ever unsafe while attending a school in our County.
Our elderly must be safe. They, too, deserve nothing less. My Sheriff’s Elder Abuse Task Force will be focused upon the special needs of the elderly, to protect them from exploitation and abuse.
Our streets and businesses must be safe. Violence and drugs have for too long plagued us with challenges that will only be met by thinking outside of the box. This means applying new ideas about ways to combat drug use. It means having absolutely no tolerance for acts of violence. Mental health problems and substance abuse are some of the greatest challenges that we face. My Office will continue to expand upon new and creative ways of working through these issues
The Sheriff’s Office is only as good as the fine women and men who work for it. I cannot thank these devoted civil servants enough, for everything they do for Whiteside County. Over the next several months, I look forward to discussing the many differences that my opponent and I have, in how we make our hiring decisions. So let’s move on to the General Election together, united not by political party, but by our common goal of keeping our County safe for all of us.