(Submitted Photo)
KENOSHA, Wis. — Kenosha Police Captain James Beller will formally kick off his campaign for Kenosha County sheriff next week with a “Law & Order” themed event at the Brat Stop in Kenosha, where supporters will hear his plans for public safety, accountability, and the future of the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office.
The event is scheduled for Thursday, April 16 at 5:30 p.m. in the Bristol Room at the Brat Stop, located at 12304 75th St. Organizers are directing attendees to use Door “B.”
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Beller, a Republican, announced his candidacy in January and has positioned himself as an experienced law-enforcement leader with military service, command-level experience, and elite federal training. He currently serves as a captain with the Kenosha Police Department and has spent nearly three decades in law enforcement, rising through the ranks from patrol officer to detective, sergeant, lieutenant and captain. He has also served in the United States Army.
A major focus of Beller’s campaign has been his graduation from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia — a prestigious 10-week executive training program for law-enforcement leaders. Beller has argued that the training gives him a unique advantage in leadership, ethics, crisis management and inter-agency cooperation.
Beller says he wants to bring disciplined, accountable leadership to the Sheriff’s Office, while emphasizing support for deputies, fiscal responsibility, transparency and partnerships with local, state and federal agencies. He has also highlighted his prior service with the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office and his role on the Sheriff’s Tactical Response Team.
One of the major issues in the race has become immigration enforcement and cooperation with federal authorities. Beller and fellow candidate Tony Gonzalez have both signaled support for entering into a 287(g) agreement with federal immigration authorities if elected sheriff.
Both men have specifically said they support the “jail model” of 287(g), which allows local jail staff to identify inmates who may be in the country illegally and coordinate with federal immigration authorities while those inmates are already in custody. Under that model, local deputies do not conduct immigration sweeps in neighborhoods or stop people solely over immigration concerns. Instead, the program focuses on people who are already in the jail after being arrested on other charges.
Sheriff David Zoerner had long opposed such an agreement and previously said it was a bad idea. However, after Beller and Gonzalez entered the race and indicated they would support the agreement, Zoerner reversed course and signed a 287(g) agreement himself.
Zoerner has continued to indicate he does not personally favor the agreement, but many political observers believe he recognized he needed to sign it if he wanted a realistic shot at re-election in a race where immigration enforcement has become an increasingly important issue.
County Executive Samantha Kerkman privately urged Zoerner not to enter into the agreement. However, the sheriff is a separately elected constitutional officer and does not report to the county executive. Candidates in the race have generally indicated they would work cooperatively with Kerkman and other county leaders, but that their ultimate responsibility is to the taxpayers — not Kerkman, like Zoerner believes. Sources in the Sheriff’s Office believe that Kerkman runs the Officer more that Zoerner.
Zoerner, a Democrat, most recently ran for sheriff as a Republican, a move many local political observers viewed as strategic. Former Sheriff David Beth, also a Democrat, likewise ran for sheriff as a Republican. Beth’s chosen successor, former Deputy Friendly Ray Rowe, also ran as a Republican before losing to Zoerner in 2022. Beller and Gonzalez, by contrast, have long been viewed as conservatives.
The sheriff’s race is already shaping up to be crowded. Beller, Zoerner, Gonzalez and Gary Roberts have all announced campaigns or taken steps toward running. Candidate nomination papers are due by June 4.
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12 Responses
No thanks. We’re voting for Zoerner.
I’ll be there.
To listen !
Gotta love those illegal aliens…
Okay, I had a chance to visit all of the candidates sites and social media. Here is my unbiased observations so far.
Zoerner – probably the best political candidate out there since he’s surrounded himself with the “old boys” network i.e. Sam Kerman (Co. Exec) and Erin Decker (supervisor & treasurer). He’s started to really come to every social and charity event in the community after being AWOL since last election. Much of what he has bragged about is superficial. Morale is the lowest in a generation (even worse some might say then David Beth), he’s got attendance issues (as a leader), and he really waffled the bag on ICE contract.
Beller – the outsider for sure. In the history of KCSD, I’m not sure if there has ever been a city cop that transitioned over to sheriff’s department. That will work against him but he does a pretty good job trying to convey a message that he’s got the right experience, values, and law & order grit to be effective. Beller is relatively neutral when it comes to conflict or controversy. He’s just kinda showed up, did the work well, and moved onto his next thing. This isn’t a bad thing, but he’s not jockeying for a political position. He’ll do well in the City, we’ll see how the Wild Wild West of Kenosha County receives him.
Gonzales – it’s either going to be the best decision he made or the nail in the proverbial coffin. On one hand, yeah – if things are as bad to prompt him to risk his job taking on his boss, good on him. However, why not say anything sooner? And if things are as bad as his campaign would likely like us to believe, what role (as #2 under the Chief Deputy) did he play in endorsing the vision that the current sheriff has cast. I’m not sure if Albert Gonzales endorsement will help or hurt (he’s a perennial loser candidate) and I’ve heard rumors that he’s only planning to be a one-term sheriff (do we really need to do this again in 4 years??).
The argument could be made that we need MORE single-term politicians, and fewer multiple-term politicians.
Why ?
Is Gonzales near retirement ?
Is there a reason that information is out there ?
That’s definitely a factor if it is a factor.
If you CCAP David Zoerner, you will find that he had had 6 foreclosures against him. I’m concerned about him handling a 40,000,000+ budget when he can’t even manage his own finances. That is definitely a concern for voters. Gonzalez is by far the most qualified since he has so many years as a leader on the Sheriff’s Department. Apparently, Zoerner is an absentee “leader.”
Yikes😵
Voting is fake AND gay
So is your mouth
So is your mouth
Ok, queer.