With the election about a month away, the four candidates running for the Bureau County Sheriff’s position spoke and answered questions from voters during a community forum on Tuesday night.

Hosted at the Bureau County Senior Center in Princeton, Republicans Edward Jauch and Tom Kammerer, along with Democrats Joe Flanagan and Mike Wittig, each took time to answer the same set of anonymous questions.

In a general question asking what their background and qualifications are for the role, each candidate talked about how their experiences in law enforcement and the military can translate to being the next sheriff.

Wittig, a Princeton native currently serving with the sheriff’s office, said his public service began nearly three decades ago in the U.S. Army.

“This community has helped forge me into what I was as a young man,” Wittig said. “Being able to serve the people, take care of the people of Bureau County, is really what I look forward to.”

He added that his supervisory roles in the military and as a field training officer have prepared him to lead.

Tom Kammerer, the current Princeton police chief, highlighted more than 30 years in law enforcement, including 24 years in Naperville before becoming chief in 2018.

“I’m used to being in the position of accountability and I’m familiar with policing this area with my time in Princeton,” Kammerer said. “You’re responsible for everybody that works in the department.” He said leadership, hiring and training experience, as well as community engagement, have shaped his approach.

Joe Flanagan, who has spent 17 years with the Bureau County Sheriff’s Office, emphasized his role in training deputies.

“I’m a field training officer. I’ve trained a lot of the current deputies that are there,” Flanagan said, adding that he also serves as Lamoille’s chief of police, where he oversees all aspects of the department.

Edward Jauch, a nearly 35-year law enforcement veteran, pointed to his experience rising through the ranks and working on federal task forces. He has also appeared on two TV shows as part of undercover investigations, including Gangland and Outlaw Country.

“I have experience at almost every level of law enforcement and I’d say a very good reputation at attacking crime,” Jauch said. “I believe my time serving in various roles has equipped me to lead the sheriff’s office here.”

When asked about the county’s biggest public safety challenge and how they would address it, the candidates offered different perspectives.

Jauch said drugs remain the county’s top threat.

“In my opinion, it’s always been, probably always will be, unfortunately, and that is narcotics, drugs,” he said. “It’s inundated every community, not just Bureau County. Even the best of families can be affected by this. Even the best parents have children, and if they have one bad day with the right salesman, it could affect that family for generations.”

He said he would enforce the laws to the fullest, including using federal charges when necessary.

“It’s part of what my job assignment is today and it wouldn’t change if I got this role,” he said.

Wittig said mental health issues are the root cause behind much of the county’s crime and drug use.

“Mental health, to be honest, is probably the biggest thing that affects Bureau County right now,” Wittig said. “I believe it’s the root cause behind our drug addictions, our property crimes, our crimes against people.”

He said many individuals turn to drugs as a way to cope with trauma or untreated mental health issues.

“If we can stop them from using, if we can help them with those mental health issues, that’s what’s going to stop the crime rates from being what they are,” he said.

“When individuals come into our custody, we’re going to be able to work with them while they’re on the inside to help them get counseling. If we change or put awareness on the mental health aspect of things, I think we reduce the crime rate, the drug use, and many of the issues that we’re seeing.”

Kammerer also pointed to mental health and substance use as intertwined issues.

“For the last eight years, I’ve spent quite a bit of time working in that area, partnering with various places throughout the county,” Kammerer said.

He also talked about using programs to pair crisis workers with officers on certain calls and establishing a walk-in “Living Room” facility for individuals experiencing mental health crises.

“We did a study of the 20 people who used our services the most over a two-year period and saw a 60.7% decrease in calls for service among those individuals,” he said.

Flanagan focused on state legislation, including the SAFE-T Act, as the county’s biggest safety challenge.

“I think the biggest issue that Bureau County has right now is some of the laws that are actually coming out of Illinois legislation. It took a lot of our teeth away,” he said. “Somebody can come and burglarize your house. They’ll go to jail, get processed through, and then they could be out within hours to burglarize you again.”

He added that he would work with the Illinois Sheriffs Association to advocate for changes to these laws if he were elected.

Looking ahead, there will be another forum involving the candidates on Tuesday, March 3rd, at Princeton High School’s auditorium. The primary election is exactly two weeks from Tuesday, March 17.