(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
KENOSHA, Wis. — Kenosha County Sheriff David Zoerner has admitted to collecting nomination signatures while in uniform during his reelection campaign, despite county ethics rules and Sheriff’s Office policies restricting political activity involving county uniforms and county property.
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The admission came in response to questions from Kenosha County Eye regarding allegations from Sheriff’s Office insiders and community members who claimed Zoerner had been campaigning while on duty, during working hours, inside county facilities, and while in uniform throughout the county over the last several months.
In an email Monday to Kenosha County Eye, Zoerner acknowledged attending a Senior Action Council luncheon at Ruffolo’s 2 Special Pizza and gathering nomination signatures while in uniform.
“The photograph you sent me is of me attending the Senior Action Council Luncheon at Ruffolo’s 2 Pizza,” Zoerner wrote. “I have presented to their group several times and did attend, and I did gather some nomination signatures in my uniform, which I am lawfully authorized to do. To answer your questions, I do not have ‘assigned hours.’ As I believe you are aware, I am at the office and work a great deal and am in touch with the staff constantly via email and text when I am not in the office. Yes I did gather nomination signatures in my uniform, which I am lawfully authorized to do. I am an elected sheriff covered by the Hatch Act. That is not the same as being a deputy sheriff.”
A Facebook post from the Senior Action Council advertised the luncheon as a community gathering held during the middle of the workday on May 6 at Ruffolo’s in Kenosha.
However, Zoerner’s admission that he collected nomination signatures while in uniform raises questions about whether the conduct violated county ethics rules and Sheriff’s Office policies.
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Earlier this year, Kenosha County Human Resources Director Clara-lin Tappa distributed a countywide email reminding employees that:
“Campaigning, even for County Offices such as Sheriff… is considered non-work-related activity and is prohibited during work hours.”
Tappa additionally warned employees that:
“Campaign solicitation on County property is prohibited by the Kenosha County Ethics Ordinance.”
The Kenosha County Ethics Ordinance itself states:
“The use of County-owned uniforms, equipment or County-owned property for campaign purposes is prohibited.”
Sheriff’s Office policy also states employees may not wear any part of the uniform or identify themselves as employees of the Sheriff’s Office in order to:
“Endorse, support, oppose, or contradict any political campaign or initiative.”
Another Sheriff’s Office policy states employees may not:
“Use their official authority or influence to interfere with or affect the result of an election or a nomination for office.”
Some critics argue that when an armed sheriff in full uniform, carrying the authority of a badge and office, asks elderly residents at a daytime luncheon to sign nomination papers, some attendees could feel at least mildly pressured or intimidated into signing simply because of the position he holds, even if no explicit pressure is applied.
Kenosha County Eye also spoke with a member of the Sheriff’s Department on the condition of anonymity because the employee feared retaliation. The employee said it appears Zoerner considers himself exempt from the same restrictions that apply to deputies because he is the elected sheriff.
The allegations and Zoerner’s response are likely to draw additional scrutiny because the Sheriff’s Office previously counseled a previous candidate during the last sheriff’s race over campaign-related conduct while in uniform.
In a 2021 internal memorandum obtained by Kenosha County Eye, Sgt. David Wright documented counseling the candidate after he attended an event while in uniform during his own campaign for sheriff.
According to the memo, the candidate acknowledged that speaking about his campaign while in uniform “would be against the rules for running for an elected position while on duty.”
Wright further instructed the candidate that because he had attended the event “in uniform representing the KSD,” he would need to “leave any future events and return in your personal vehicle out of uniform to speak to a crowd regarding your run for Sheriff…”
Ironically, Zoerner himself personally brought the prior discipline involving the previous candidate to the attention of this author during the previous sheriff’s race and at the time expressed disagreement with how the candidate had been treated over campaign-related activity while in uniform. Now, years later, Zoerner appears to be embracing the very same type of conduct that was previously deemed improper by himself.
32 Responses
As an elected official and constitutional officer some rules may not apply to Zoerner. That said, obviously some do, such as campaign activity on county property.
He’s the elected sheriff. There’s a difference. Oh and the county personnel director has no authority over the elected sheriff.
Let’s see her enforce all her precious ordinances on an elected official. Is she going to have them sent to Ordinance Jail?
Think she will handle this illegal political signs
Technicalities between being an elected official and employees? Probably always uses his county issued vehicle because he never knows when he has to go to ‘on-duty’?
He does what he wants and sends his trained monkeys to write tickets with out merit or proof he a joke and should loose wait before he wears any uniform
Hooked on Phonics can work for you too
Grammar.
Sure asking little old ladies for signatures while in uniform seems to be on the line, the fact is that the sheriff by definition is on the job 24 hours a day.
I would think that a campaign assistant could walk around collecting signatures while the sheriff just walks around shaking hands.
Other candidates that are employees should have to follow the rules about uniforms. And by definition should not be campaigning while on the clock.
The sheriff has no clock. For good or bad his daily dress is a uniform. Period
He doesn’t wear his uniform 24/7 lol clearly you have no experience with this.
My point is you can make this argument any time of day. If he chose to come to work in street clothes on days he’s going to make public appearances then so be it.
It doesn’t change the fact that his position is always “on duty” !
I agree, even though I believe anyone who votes to re-elect him is an idiot or gaining something other than a warm fuzzy feeling.
Before he became sheriff, you could barely get him to wear the uniform. Laziest, sloppiest person I’ve ever worked with. Now, you can’t get him to wear anything else. Because he “has power” in it. Even if said rules don’t apply to him, lead by example. Except he doesn’t know how to lead. Only know how to follow the yellow brick road right up Samantha Kerkman’s ass. He’s always been a slumlord too. Not sure if he still has rental properties but ask anyone he has rented from. He’s a terrible person. Only cares about himself. #TonyG or #Beller.
Your group can be sued, criminal prosecution and r.o. for hosting this harassment. You have ability to moderate & remove this. Yet it’s an ongoing attempt to disturb the peace.
Go ahead and sue, damp your little feet, demand cookies, whatever. This is a forum that is not biased and does not remove posts stating affirmative opinions for the sheriff, so your lawsuit will provide work for an ambulance chaser, and nothing else.
First time i saw the blusterful Zoerner was when he and family burst into a meet and greet. Late, with his “stuff” as if the whole place was wait for his Mr wonderful . Confused set up with an overall arrogance.
But with the party endorsement and hanging on Sams pants suit he’s got better than 50/50 chances.
Incumbency is a real thing.
Managing that advantage is the game.
I think we can endlessly nitpick which rules apply to an incumbent sheriff and which don’t but leadership by example is never out of style. This isn’t a podunk county where the sheriff is actually a working police officer answering calls. He has hundreds of employees and doesn’t have to wear the uniform to do his job and especially when politicking. I think the phrase he should heed is “avoiding the appearance of impropriety.”
Dave’s tenure as sheriff seems to be a mixed bag. There are some positives but it’s hard to fathom how he’s lost the confidence of a substantial number of people he relies on to get the job done. Maybe they’re right, maybe they aren’t but it’ll be likely hard to motivate them if he continues as sheriff. Perhaps it is time for him to take the “W” and move forward with the next chapter of his life.
Ask virtually anyone who works with him at the department about Zoerner’s character…. Here’s a few likely replies:
1. Lazy
2. Lack of Integrity
3. Lack of Intelligence
4. Lack of Attendance
5. Zero Leadership Abilities
6. Zero Agenda
No wonder why only 1 person, from the sworn staff, voted to endorse him… and apparently that person was “promised” a promotion. 98% of the remaining voted to endorse Tony Gonzalez for Sheriff. It’s no surprise that those who work with him know him best. Please Back the Badge and support Tony Gonzalez for Sheriff!
77-1 vote by Sheriffs Deputies who know the sheriff best for Gonzalez.
10-0 by the PPPA BOARD for Beller.
Let the police rank and file vote on the PPPA endorsement rather than their board.
I think both Beller and Gonzalez are credible candidates. I would like to hear more from both. I am worried about Gonzalez. The rank-and-file at KSD have a history of supporting an internal candidate and then doing the proverbial one-eighty after they get into office. Maybe it’s time for an outside candidate.
Kevin, why do you identify Zoerner as a Democrat when he’s running as a Republican?
Check out his pink pussy hat, bruh.
He’s a Democrat. I don’t understand the question? Can you try to repeat it in a way so that we can all understand?
Is he a Democrat? Or Republican? Didn’t he run on both tickets?
Bring back David Beth!!
Believing the rules don’t apply to him or his family seems to be a long standing belief of his. When he ran for Sheriff the first time he and his wife came in to vote wearing Zoerner for sheriff clothing and he loudly announced his name and said words to the effect of you know who I’m voting for.
That plus the motorcycle registration incidents tells me anybody but Zoerner for Sheriff.
Surprise, surprise. I’m one of the blurred out individuals…… 🙂
Is Tony Gonzales ,the name Brian Gonzales or Albert Gonzales is using nowadays 🤔?
No, totally different person.
Brian Albert Gonzales was with KPD.
Tony Gonzalez is a high ranking Captain on Kenosha Co. Sheriff.
Albert/Brian Gonzalez is a different guy.
Albert/Brian is running Tony’s campaign. So you know who will be asking for a high-paying low-work job if Tony is elected.