Ron Hain, Kane County Sheriff 2022 Primary Election Questionnaire

Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain answered Shaw Local’s election questionnaire for the Kane County Sheriff primary election.

Voting ends for the primary election on the evening of June 28.

Full Name: Ron Hain

What office are you seeking? Kane County Sheriff

What offices, if any, have you previously held? Currently the Kane County Sheriff

City: Elburn

Occupation: Sheriff

Education: Associates in Criminal Justice

Campaign Website: www.hainforkanesheriff.com

What would be your top three priorities over the next four years?

1. Continue the dramatic decrease in the opioid overdose deaths of the formerly incarcerated, reduction of crime, recidivism, and millions of dollars of savings to tax payers we have accomplished over the last three years.

2. Finalize the lease of space at the Sheriff’s Office for an affordable residential addiction treatment center to serve those re-entering the community from incarceration and others referred by the courts.

3. Continue to enhance our public safety preparedness through constant training, equipment enhancement, and policy adjustment to comply with the new SAFE-T Act, while protecting our citizens and our deputies.

Taxes are a top concern raised by voters locally. What do you do within your position to address residents’ tax burden?

Over the last three years, we have consistently come in under budget, allowing the County to rollover the savings to balance its budget each year. We have also shared our budget with other County offices (specifically the State’s Attorney) to aid them in adding needed personnel to maintain public safety without requesting additional funds from the County.

We re-vitalized the County’s electronic monitoring program after if was discontinued under Court Services, which cost tax payers approximately $750,000 annually to operate. This new program, along with our work to reduce the jail population by 35% and re-entry programs that have brought recidivism down from a four year average of 49% to 18% in 2021 has saved our tax payers an estimated $4.9M over the last three years.

Voters also cited crime as a concern. What do you think needs to be done to address this concern?

Our new correctional services have re-entered former jail residents with continued addiction treatment, employment, and housing support on a case by case basis. As cited before, this work has reduced recidivism, saved lives, and brought down countywide crime by 16% over the last three years. Through these efforts, and the opening of the Kane County Sheriff’s University in Aurora, we continue to provide services to our marginalized communities which also build stronger relationships between them and law enforcement.

Our deputies are the best trained, equipped, and policied than ever before, allowing them the confidence and ability to effectively enforce laws across Kane.

What do you bring to the table that your opponents do not?

Leadership knowledge, experience, and the proven ability to effectively implement cutting-edge initiatives that truly make an impact for the betterment and safety of all our citizens.

If you could redo or reverse any one decision made by the sheriff in the last four years, what would it be and why?

I have been proud of our relationship with the media and the transparency we have delivered. In these very marginalized times (between COVID, civil unrest in 2020, and the new police reform law) I have been open, candid, and honest with the media at every step. One criticism I have received is that I may be too candid and honest. While I take that to heart since it comes from the people I serve, I do not believe in softening any message that needs to be openly portrayed.