Name: Tom Kammerer

What office are you seeking: Bureau County Sheriff

What is your political party?

What is your current age? 59

Occupation and employer: Chief of Police, City of Princeton

What offices, if any, have you previously held? I have never held an elected office. I retired as a Commander with the Naperville Police Department after 24 years of service.

City: Bureau County with a Princeton mailing address.

Campaign website: citizensforkammererbureaucounty@facebook

Education: Hamilton High School- (1985), Parkland College- Associates Degree (1987), Western Illinois University- Bachelor’s Degree Criminal Justice (1989), Lewis University/University of Virginia- Masters Public Safety Administration (2015), FBI National Academy Session #256 Quantico, VA (2014), Senior Management Institute for Policing, Boston University (2016)

Community involvement: Dementia Friendly Princeton- Founding member, Princeton Rotary Club- Member, Bureau County Friends of Scouting- Co-Chair, Second Story Teen Center- Building Committee, OSF St. Clare- Community Council Member, Bureau County ETSB- Board Member, Princeton Warming Center- Volunteer, Princeton Chamber of Commerce- Member

Marital status/Immediate family: Betsy, wife of 35 years; four children, Lucas, Madeline, Evan and Katie.

What are your top three priorities for this position?

1.Working with all of the communities and citizens of Bureau County to ensure their safety. I will do this by assigning deputies as liaisons with all of the communities in the county to guarantee they have a voice with the Sheriff’s Department. These relationships will help us to better enforce and prevent crime in their area. Policing is something we do with the residents of Bureau County, not to them.

2. Creating training opportunities for our deputies that will allow them to perform their duties in a safe, effective manner. I am very familiar with the state mandated training requirements and the consequences for not meeting them. I will ensure our deputies are always in compliance with the state mandates as well as providing additional training appropriate to their assignments.

3.Working with our many partners to make sure all of our residents have access to vital services such as shelter, food and health care. There are several residents in Bureau County, some who are seniors or ailing, who are isolated or have no family in the area. We will work to identify them and make sure they are safe and their basic needs are being met. I will strive to have monthly meetings with the law enforcement agencies in our area to ensure we are communicating effectively about issues affecting our area.

Why are you running for sheriff?

The Sheriff of Bureau County is responsible for the safety and security of the entire county. It requires someone who is an experienced leader, who is highly trained and who has an unsullied reputation. I possess those qualifications, as well as a desire to lead the Sheriff’s Department in a fair and just manner.

I have been working in policing for more than 31 years, 18 of those years in a leadership position. I still enjoy this profession and know that I have a lot to offer the citizens of Bureau County and the deputies who work for the Sheriff’s department.

Being Sheriff demands integrity and leadership, both of which I have demonstrated throughout my entire career. I was selected from a pool of 83 candidates to be the chief of police in Princeton. That process involved an extensive background investigation, to include checking my work history, personal history and verifying my education and training. I look forward to debating the other candidates as we go through the election process so we can educate the voters about what makes me qualified for this important position.

What qualifies you to be sheriff and what pertinent experience do you bring to the job?

I have the necessary training, education, experience and reputation to excel in the role of Sheriff.

In my current role as police chief I am familiar with the immense responsibility of leading a 24/7/365 police agency. I have experience making difficult decisions, often in critical situations, and bearing the responsibility for those decisions.

I am actively involved in my community and intend to extend that involvement throughout the county when elected.

I have led and participated in major investigations, critical incidents and the day-to-day operations as the chief of police.

I have experience leading within the parameters set forth by the Safe-T Act and the Pre-Trial Fairness Act. These demanding, often restrictive mandates can be challenging to navigate for someone who does not understand them.

I understand that policing often extends beyond enforcement. Ensuring the quality of life for Bureau County residents is just as important.

I have experience building strong relationships with our law enforcement and community partners. I intend to work with all of the departments in the county as well as any other local, county, state and federal agencies when needed. I have established relationships with our healthcare, social service and clergy partners and will leverage those relationships to help the citizens of Bureau County.

I have extensive administrative experience to include budgeting, fiscal management, grant writing and management, recruiting, hiring, human resources, contracts, fleet management, facility management and more. While these can be mundane tasks, they are critical to efficient operations.

What are the most pressing public safety issues facing Bureau County? What are your strategies to address them?

Crimes against persons, especially children and the elderly are always my primary concern. While not numerous, they are tragic and require our utmost attention. I have worked closely with our States Attorney’s Office, Freedom House, The Bureau County Senior Center, Braveheart, DCFS and other organizations to protect our most vulnerable residents and prosecute those who victimize them.

The sale of drugs is another issue that is present in our county. At the Princeton Police Department we have been diligent in the enforcement of drug related crime. We have had drug detection K9s for several years. We are also a member of the TRIDENT drug enforcement task force. TRIDENT is not only responsible for helping us combat drug trafficking on a local and county level, they also work on the interstates in Bureau County to detect and arrest large scale drug traffickers. These efforts have led to thousands of pounds of illegal drugs being confiscated and millions of dollars of drug money seized and converted for law enforcement use. I have experience working with our state and federal partners on major drug cases and understand when involving them in our cases is appropriate.

Mental health and substance use related issues continue to be one of the most prevalent underlying causes of crime in the county. If addressed early and appropriately, we can prevent these conditions from devolving into criminal activity. As chief, I have worked with several of our community partners to develop strategies to connect people with mental health and substance issues to the resources they need to get help. We have seen a decrease in crimes in Princeton related to these issues as well as a decrease in our homeless population.

How will you ensure transparency in day-to-day operations and decision-making at the sheriff’s office?

I intend to be accessible as Sheriff. I do not like sitting in the office so you will see me, as you do now as chief, patrolling and being present throughout the county. My Chief Deputy will be John Simonton who retired after serving two terms as Lee County Sheriff. He has 40+ years of experience in law enforcement, leadership and training. He too will be present and accessible to the citizens of Bureau County.

I am very familiar with FOIA and will comply, as the law allows, with all requests.

I am accessible to the media, community groups and anyone else who would like to speak with me.

What is your philosophy on the use of force and how do you train deputies in de-escalation?

The appropriate use of force is where we devote the majority of our training resources. De-escalation is always a part of that training. Our deputies will also undergo training in recognizing the signs of mental health related issues and cognitive issues, such as Autism, so as to respond appropriately in situations where those conditions are the cause of aggression. Much of our training will be scenario based so the deputies will experience the situation under stress and learn to act calmly, yet safely to de-escalate the situation.

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 State of Illinois is a sanctuary state, therefore we are not allowed to contact ICE for immigration related issues. This does not prohibit us from arresting someone, regardless of immigration status, who has committed a crime. We will enforce the law equally, no matter the race, immigration status or economic status of the offender.

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 the Rucker case, however it did not occur within our jurisdiction and is being investigated by the Sheriff’s Department so I can’t comment on it.

I am very aware of the Rossler case since it ultimately ended up here in Princeton. We worked tirelessly to identify the remains we discovered so that we could bring closure to the family. We worked closely with the coroner and medical examiner throughout the entire investigation to ensure it was done thoroughly.

As Sheriff we will work as many hours as we have to on cases like this in order to solve them. While an investigation is ongoing, there are often details we cannot publicly share because it could negatively impact the case. We will share what can be shared with the public when appropriate. We will work closely with the family to protect their privacy and the dignity of their lost loved one. I have experience both investigating these types of cases and leading those who are investigating them. Because I have established strong relationships with so many other law enforcement partners we will have a vast network of professionals to contact should we need assistance. We will not close a case like this until it is solved.