Waukesha County sheriff candidates on bodycams, leadership
Waukesha County sheriff candidates 1-on-1
With no challenger from Democrats, whoever wins the August Republican primary for Waukesha County sheriff will take the job. FOX6's Waukesha County Reporter Bret Lemoine sat down with the two candidates to talk about leadership style, values and public safety.
WAUKESHA COUNTY, Wis. - With no challenger from Democrats, whoever wins the August Republican primary for Waukesha County sheriff will take the job. FOX6's Waukesha County Reporter Bret Lemoine sat down with the two candidates to talk about leadership style, values and public safety.
About the candidates
The backstory:
Both Nick Ollinger and John Gscheidmeier are Republicans with law enforcement backgrounds.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android
Gscheidmeier is a former police officer, firefighter and educator. He is currently a Waukesha County Board supervisor. Ollinger has worked for the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department for 13 years and is currently the captain of the Detective Bureau.
Wisconsin primary election; early in-person voting begins
Early in-person voting kicks off Tuesday, July 28 in Wisconsin’s primary election, and runs through Aug. 9.
Lemoine: "What sets you apart?" Lemoine asked.
Gscheidmeier: "Well, 29 years of public safety has taught me a lot."
Ollinger: "I worked hard to get where I’m at today. I’ll continue to work hard for the citizens of Waukesha County moving forward."
On body-worn cameras
What they're saying:
FOX6 News asked both candidates about getting body cameras, since the department does not have any. The issue was raised in March, after deputies shot and killed a man in the Village of Summit who "displayed a handgun" after a chase.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
Ollinger: "I want deputies to have body cameras come January 1st. It’s for the deputies, it’s for the citizens, it pushes transparency – it helps the DA’s Office, judiciary,"
Gscheidmeier: "I would take office in January and I would already be working on this right after the primary, so we have a plan in place – that could involve federal funding, grant funding, it would involve a private-public venture – we need to get it done."
On turnover, staff wellbeing
What they're saying:
Lemoine: "Turnover has been high in both patrols and the jails – what’s the plan to fix that?"
Gscheidmeier: "People leave leadership, they don’t leave organizations. We have to fix that. We fix that day one by letting people know we care about them, that we have their back, and we’re concerned about them and their welfare."
Ollinger: "Once they all become a part and feel a part of a team, and they have a voice, they want to stay, and then they are your recruiters. They’ll say Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office is a place you want to be and work."
Nick Ollinger
On recent civil unrest
What they're saying:
The deputy union endorses Gscheidmeier, while current neighboring sheriffs endorse Ollinger. FOX6 News asked both candidates about the civil unrest following a fatal police shooting in Madison.
Lemoine: "What are you telling your deputies just about these particular incidents in general?"
Ollinger: "You need to go out there and work within the confines of law enforcement but when faced with a deadly force situation – know that you’re justified in doing what you’re doing."
Lemoine: "How do you be objective about this scenario but also support the deputies involved?"
Gscheidmeier: "The officers and their wellness, to me, is paramount. The family wants to know what happened. The public wants to know what happened. There’s a delicate balance of releasing what you know to put the public at ease that it’s being investigated fully."
Nick Ollinger
For Waukesha County
Local perspective:
Both men are lifelong Waukesha County residents who believe their respective leadership plans are the right fit for the county’s top law enforcement position.
Gscheidmeier: "We need someone with fresh ideas, with a vast amount of experience to come in and take the department in a different direction."
Ollinger: "It’s all about team – I want to bring team atmosphere back to the sheriff’s department."
What's next:
Both men said they will work with each other no matter the outcome of the election. If Gscheidmeier wins, he will become Ollinger’s boss. If Ollinger wins, he will still need to work with Gscheidmeier on the County Board.
Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6’s Bret Lemoine and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from John Gscheidmeier, Nick Ollinger and FOX6 News reporting.