Name: Michael Wittig
What office are you seeking: Bureau County Sheriff
What is your political party? The candidate did not answer
What is your current age? 49
Occupation and employer: Deputy with the Bureau County Sheriff’s Office
What offices, if any, have you previously held? None
City: Princeton
Campaign website: Mike Wittig for Bureau County Sheriff –Facebook page
Education: Associate’s Degree in Accounting from IVCC, with a strong foundation in financial management and budgeting.
Community involvement: I am an active member of the Princeton Moose Lodge and the VFW, organizations that support community connection, service, and giving back. I am also very active in my church, Shooting Park Road Baptist Church, where service and community outreach are important parts of my life.
Marital status/Immediate family: I’m married to my wife, Tammy. Together, we have three grown children, Trevor, Kolbe, and Emma. We are proud grandparents of two grandchildren, Genevieve and Rex, who bring great joy to our family and expect our third grandchild, Rhyme this spring.
What are your top three priorities for this position?
My top three priorities as sheriff are community-first policing, youth engagement, and strengthening our mental health response.
Community first means building trust through presence, communication, and accountability. I want residents to feel comfortable reaching out to their Sheriff’s Office and confident that their concerns are heard and respected.
Youth engagement is essential to our county’s future. By building positive relationships with young people early, we can create understanding, reduce negative interactions, and help guide them toward safer, healthier paths.
Mental health responses are among the most important challenges facing law enforcement today. My goal is to ensure deputies have the training, resources, and partnerships needed to respond with care, patience, and professionalism when someone is experiencing a mental health crisis.
Together, these priorities reflect my commitment to protecting our community while treating every individual with dignity and respect.
Why are you running for sheriff?
I am running for sheriff because serving the people of Bureau County has been a calling in my life for as long as I can remember. This community shaped who I am, and I feel a deep responsibility to give back through service and leadership, and to protect our residents. Our residents deserve a sheriff who is visible, accountable, and transparent.
The people of Bureau County should understand how their tax dollars are used and how the Sheriff’s Office works every day to keep families safe.
My goal is to lead with integrity, communicate openly, and build trust through consistency, respect, and a genuine commitment to the people we serve.
What qualifies you to be sheriff and what pertinent experience do you bring to the job?
My education, training, and professional experience have prepared me to lead the Bureau County Sheriff’s Office with integrity and accountability.
I bring leadership experience from my service in the United States Army, where I learned the importance of discipline, teamwork, and decision-making under pressure. I also have extensive education and ongoing training in law enforcement, giving me a strong foundation in modern policing practices.
Throughout my career, I have gained experience in budgeting and financial oversight, acquisitions, investigations, and day-to-day departmental operations. This background enables me to understand not only the sheriff’s responsibilities but also the importance of managing public resources wisely.
I am prepared to lead with professionalism, transparency, and a commitment to serving the people of Bureau County.
What are the most pressing public safety issues facing Bureau County? What are your strategies to address them?
Two of the most pressing public safety issues facing Bureau County are substance abuse and the growing mental health crisis. These challenges affect not only individuals but families, workplaces, and the overall safety of our communities.
In addressing drug use, we will continue to support and strengthen our narcotics interdiction unit, Tri-Dent, to disrupt the flow of illegal drugs into our county. At the same time, we recognize that arrests alone do not solve addiction. We must also provide opportunities for individuals housed in our facility to receive support, resources, and guidance to help them begin the path toward recovery.
When it comes to mental health, education and early intervention are critical. My goal is to help our communities better recognize the signs of mental health crisis and understand how to respond until professional intervention can take place. We will continue working closely with local providers such as Arukah and North Central Behavioral Health to ensure services are delivered more efficiently and effectively within our county. By combining enforcement, education, and collaboration, we can improve public safety while treating people with dignity, compassion, and respect.
How will you ensure transparency in day-to-day operations and decision-making at the sheriff’s office?
Transparency is essential to building and maintaining public trust. As sheriff, I plan to ensure open communication and accountability in the department’s day-to-day operations.
One of my goals is to develop a public-facing website that provides clear information about departmental activity, financial reporting, and overall operations. This would also include recognition of the hard work and accomplishments of our deputies.
Any information shared would be done responsibly and never in a way that compromises an active investigation or the safety of those involved. I intend to give the public a clearer understanding of how the Sheriff’s Office operates and how their tax dollars are being used. Transparency builds confidence, and an informed community is a safer and stronger community.
What is your philosophy on the use of force and how do you train deputies in de-escalation?
My philosophy on the use of force is rooted in responsibility, training, and preservation of life. Force is a tool available to deputies, but it is always a last resort. Our goal is to resolve situations safely whenever possible.
Deputies are trained to assess each situation carefully and respond at the level necessary to stop a threat and protect the public. Ongoing training includes de-escalation techniques, less-lethal options, control and arrest tactics, and firearms proficiency, to ensure deputies are prepared for a wide range of situations.
By combining strong training with sound judgment and communication, we can reduce the need for force while keeping both our communities and our deputies safe.
What do you see as the sheriff’s office role in dealing with the Department of Homeland Security, specifically in regards to immigration enforcement and ICE agents?
The Sheriff’s Office has a responsibility to operate within the laws established by the State of Illinois. Cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security will be conducted in accordance with those laws and within the authority of this office.
Our priority is the safety of our deputies and the people of Bureau County. We will protect our officers from those who wish to cause harm, and we will also protect our residents from any illegal activity within our jurisdiction.
Bureau County is home to a diverse population, and every individual deserves to be treated with dignity, fairness, and respect. The Sheriff’s Office will serve all people equally, without bias, and with the same care we would expect for ourselves and our families.
How familiar are you with the ongoing investigations into the disappearances and unresolved deaths of Jaylyon Anthony Rucker and Austin J. Rossler? If elected, how will you personally ensure these cases receive the attention and resources they need?
I am aware of both the Jaylyon Anthony Rucker and Austin J. Rossler cases, and I recognize the deep concern these unresolved matters have created within our community.
The Rossler case is under the jurisdiction of the Princeton Police Department. If elected, the Sheriff’s Office would offer full cooperation and investigative support as requested by that agency.
Regarding the Rucker case, it remains an open and active investigation. If elected, I will ensure our investigators have the appropriate technology, training, and resources to continue pursuing all available leads.
I also plan to establish a multi-jurisdictional case review process that brings local, county, and regional agencies to the same table. This collaboration would allow investigators to share information, compare cases, and benefit from multiple perspectives; all while maintaining proper investigative boundaries. These cases matter. The families deserve continued effort, transparency where appropriate, and a commitment to never allowing these investigations to fade from focus.