Tony Colatorti, McHenry County Sheriff 2022 Primary Election Questionnaire

Full Name: Antonio “Tony” Colatorti

What office are you seeking? McHenry County Sheriff

What offices, if any, have you previously held? Chief of Police, Prairie Grove Police Department Chief of Police, Holiday Hills Police Department

City: Algonquin

Occupation: Business Owner/Chief of Police (Ret.)

Education: Minimum Standards Basic Law Enforcement Officers Training Course, Certified Police Canine Handler, Gang Enforcement Officer, Certified Investigator, Field Training Officer, Police Supervision, Managing Law Enforcement Agencies, Juvenile Officer, Leadership Skills for Supervisors, Truck Weight Enforcement.

Campaign Website: www.colatortiforsheriff.com

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

Support our law enforcement by giving them the training and tools to effectively do their jobs to keep our community safe.

Stop Chicago crime at the McHenry County line by taking a no-nonsense approach to keeping our residents, schools, and businesses safe from criminals.

Support and defend our Constitutional rights including, our sacred right to bear arms, protect against government overreach and wasteful spending, and preserve our freedom of speech.

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

As a McHenry County business owner for the past 18 years, I have successfully managed a budget, cut costs, and negotiated contracts. I survived through a pandemic and recession by making the necessary adjustments to ensure my employees could pay their bills and put food on their tables. As your Sheriff, I will bring this business acumen to the office and utilize my experience in business, and as a chief of police, to cut wasteful spending and unnecessary or bloated contracts which contribute to our outrageous tax bills.

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

Keep our deputies and corrections officers properly funded and trained, reallocate resources where necessary, and allow our deputies to do their job and enforce the law. Too many agencies are handcuffed by their administrations and not supported in doing their jobs. As your sheriff, I will go into the community and forge positive relationships to assist and support law enforcement in doing their jobs.

I plan to create a multi-jurisdictional task force to combat Chicago criminal enterprises creeping into the county; such as growing auto theft rings, and counterfeit and burglary crews. Together we will make a difference in fighting crime. Chicago crime will stop at the McHenry County line when I am sheriff!

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

I bring twenty-two years of law enforcement experience, including 7-years as a Chief of Police, and over 25 years as a successful business owner. I will bring this combined law enforcement executive leadership and business management experience to the Sheriff’s Office and the taxpayers in the county. My opponent has never been the top law enforcement official of an agency where the buck stops at the top, and he lacks the business experience, emotional intelligence, and maturity that will ultimately save the taxpayers hard-earned money. That is why a large following of chiefs of police, sheriff’s deputies, correctional officers, and elected officials support my candidacy.

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

Failure to implement a body-worn camera program prior to it being mandated by the law. This program will protect our deputies, officers, and citizens, and assist investigating agencies in any use of force incidents. This program will also increase transparency with the public and improve police and community relations. As sheriff, I will ensure that an open line of communication will be maintained with our local media to provide the public with appropriate information after a significant incident occurs.