:quality(70):focal(1555x1208:1565x1218)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/WD2REZHQ2ZBPJKTXSCIGO6OBCE.jpg)
DeKalb County Sheriff candidate Andy Sullivan answered Shaw Local’s election questionnaire for the DeKalb County Sheriff primary election.
Voting ends for the primary election on the evening of June 28.
Full Name: Andrew “Andy” Sullivan
What office are you seeking? Sheriff of DeKalb County
What offices, if any, have you previously held? Appointed Sheriff of DeKalb County by the DeKalb County Board in August of 2021 upon the retirement Roger Scott.
City: DeKalb
Occupation: Sheriff of DeKalb County
Education: Associate of Applied Science-Criminal Justice, Kishwaukee College
Bachelor of Science-Criminal Justice, Rasmussen College
Certificate of Graduate Study-Public Management, NIU
Graduate of the FBI National Academy session #247
Campaign Website: www.sullivanforsheriff.com
What would be your top three priorities over the next four years?
1. Facilitate training and procedures for deputies and staff that meet the significant mandated training of the Criminal Justice Reform Act, and deal with the complexities that come with those mandates. I will make every attempt in maintaining quality training over and above the unfunded mandates as they become available. Continual training in the law enforcement field is always welcome and needed to maintain the professional services that are provided to the public that we serve.
2. Maintain and expand if possible the police social worker program that was implemented in late 2021 in collaboration with the Mental Health Board, Northwestern Medicine Behavioral Services, and the Sheriff’s Office. This program has been a positive and successful step forward to obtaining the mental health and related needs that often have been unavailable to individuals. I am hopeful that the continuation of this program will continue to provide these important resources to our community when and where they are needed.
We will also continue to have our patrol division trained in Crisis Intervention Training (CIT), which is a 40-hour state-certified course for law enforcement to help guide our deputies in the response to many different types of calls for service. In the future, if available I would want all of our corrections personnel to attend this important training too.
I also want to continue to increase our community engagement and make the Sheriff’s Office more visible to our community through our social media platforms to better enhance our communication with the public and help to demonstrate our community policing initiatives.
3. Domestic violence cases remain an ever-constant and increasing issue for this community. I want to continue our efforts to provide support to the victims of these crimes and all types of crimes. We receive training from the Strangulation Institute to help guide the Sheriff’s Office in the investigation of cases involving strangulation. We will also continue our training involving all cases of domestic violence to ensure the cases are investigated in a thorough and professional manner.
Taxes are a top concern raised by voters locally. What do you do within your position to address residents’ tax burden?
I closely monitor budget usage and have an internal approval process to ensure finances are used properly and in line with budget guidelines. I also recognize the Sheriff’s highest priority is for responsive and quality public safety for the citizens throughout DeKalb County.
Voters also cited crime as a concern. What do you think needs to be done to address this concern?
I certainly agree with the citizens’ concerns. I will fight to maintain a responsive, highly trained, effective, and visible patrol presence throughout DeKalb County. This response will be supported by a highly trained investigative unit, corrections, and communications divisions. I will also continue the police partnerships that we have with Kishwaukee College and the Village of Shabbona. I will continue to maintain excellent working and investigative relationships with the DeKalb Police Department, Sycamore Police Department, and all of the other local police agencies within DeKalb County and our state law enforcement agency partners. It is imperative that we continue to work together and share resources when needed to help keep our community safe for everyone.
What do you bring to the table that your opponents do not?
I am committed to the Sheriff’s Office and prepared to continue in the role of Sheriff of DeKalb County if elected while using my 26 years of experience to help continue to lead and guide the men and women of the Sheriff’s Office in the future. I will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to build a stronger and safer community together. I care deeply for the community that I have always called home, DeKalb County. What happens in the county matters to me and I will always do my best to ensure the safety of all citizens. The Sheriff’s Office is a large organization and it is much more than the squad cars you see on the streets. The Sheriff’s Office runs the county jail, a telecommunications center, security of the courthouse, and is in charge of all civil processes within the county. This requires experience to get the job done, I have that experience. I will continue to ensure that these essential services provided by the Sheriff’s Office continue in a personal and professional manner. I believe in a strong public service commitment and work each day to provide that while using a personable approach to deliver the services to 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?
Aside from a few personnel matters and after careful thought and review, there are no major operational or policy decisions that the previous sheriff made over the last four years that I did not understand and support. I, along with other command staff members had ample opportunity for input and to hear the reasoning behind those decisions. However, the Sheriff’s Office will always strive to improve our services to this community and update when needed any and all of our policies and procedures. The policies at the Sheriff’s Office need to meet the needs of the community and conform to the ever-changing laws of this state.