Former Braidwood police chief to run for Will County executive

Former Braidwood Police Chief Nick Ficarello said he will seek the Republican nomination for Will County executive in the 2020 election.

Ficarello, 62, who led the Braidwood Police Department for four years before being replaced earlier this year, said he's been contemplating a run for the position for a while. After Larry Walsh Sr., the current county executive, announced he wouldn't be running for reelection because of health concerns, Ficarello said he decided to move forward with a run.

“I’m doing it,” Ficarello said.

The Manhattan Township resident previously ran unsuccessfully for Will County sheriff in 2014. In the Republican primary, Ficarello lost to Ken Kaupas by 225 votes out of 41,171 cast. Ficarello worked for the sheriff’s office for over 30 years.

“I feel that I wanted to make a difference in law enforcement in various communities,” he said. “Now I think it’s time to expand and be an influence and do something good for the rest of the county.”

He said that if he is elected, his biggest concerns would be lowering the property tax burden on residents and continuing to combat the opioid epidemic. In Braidwood, overdoses due to opioids were the biggest issue he focused on as chief.

“It seems that people are leaving Illinois in droves,” Ficarello said.