(Submitted Photo)
KENOSHA COUNTY, Wis. — What began as an overwhelming rebuke from rank-and-file deputies now appears to have extended to the highest levels of leadership within the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office. Months after approximately 98–99% of voting members of the Kenosha County Deputy Sheriff’s Association backed Captain Tony Gonzalez in the race for sheriff, Sheriff David Zoerner is now facing an even more striking development: personal endorsements for Gonzalez from members of what amounts to Zoerner’s entire command staff structure.
Kenosha County Eye obtained a signed endorsement letter from Chief Deputy Justin Miller, Captain Bryan Easter and Captain Steve Beranis. While the endorsements were made as private citizens and explicitly state they are not official endorsements from the Sheriff’s Office itself, the significance comes from who signed the document.
Command Structure Aligns Behind Challenger
Under the Sheriff’s Office structure, Sheriff David Zoerner sits at the top as the elected head of the agency. Directly below him is Chief Deputy Justin Miller, the second-highest-ranking official within the Sheriff’s Office and effectively Zoerner’s second-in-command. Below that level are captains responsible for major operational divisions of the agency.
Captain Tony Gonzalez, who is challenging Zoerner for sheriff, currently oversees administration. Captain Steve Beranis oversees operations, including patrol and investigative functions. Captain Bryan Easter oversees the county’s detention division and jail operations.
With Gonzalez himself running for sheriff and Chief Deputy Justin Miller, Captain Steve Beranis and Captain Bryan Easter now personally backing him, all members of the Sheriff’s Office command structure aside from Zoerner himself are aligned behind Gonzalez’s candidacy.
The endorsement letter repeatedly emphasizes that the support is being made as private citizens and “does not reflect the views of the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office as a whole.” However, while departmental endorsements are prohibited, individual endorsements from some of the agency’s highest-ranking leaders carry obvious significance in a sheriff’s race where leadership and morale have already become central campaign issues.
The men wrote that after evaluating those seeking the office, they believed Gonzalez was “the candidate best prepared to serve as Kenosha County Sheriff.”
“Based on those experiences, and after carefully evaluating the qualifications of those seeking this role, we believe Tony Gonzalez is the candidate best prepared to serve as Kenosha County Sheriff,” the endorsement states.
Support Extends Beyond Command Staff
The latest developments also appear to add to a broader perception of support for Gonzalez within the Sheriff’s Office.
Longtime Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Zarletti has publicly shown support for Gonzalez. In addition, multiple Sheriff’s Office personnel have been observed off duty attending campaign events and assisting Gonzalez’s campaign efforts. While participating in campaign activities does not itself constitute a formal endorsement, those observations have added to discussion regarding the apparent level of support Gonzalez appears to be receiving internally.
Combined with the deputy association’s overwhelming vote, support for Gonzalez appears to stretch from deputies through supervisory ranks and into the highest levels of agency leadership.
Gonzalez Responds
Gonzalez issued a statement expressing gratitude for the support.
“I am truly honored to receive the personal support of Justin Miller, Bryan Easter and Steve Beranis,” Gonzalez said.
“These men are respected professionals who currently serve our community as members of the command staff at the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office. Because they understand the responsibilities and challenges that come with law enforcement leadership, their confidence in me means a great deal.”
He further emphasized that the endorsements were personal and not representative of the Sheriff’s Office itself.
“They have made it clear they are speaking only as private citizens, and their support does not represent an official endorsement from the Sheriff’s Office.”
Beller Responds
Kenosha County Eye also reached out to Captain James Beller regarding the endorsement letter and growing perceptions of internal support for Gonzalez.
Beller responded that it is “clear there are differing views regarding the leadership and direction of the Sheriff’s Office” and said those concerns were reinforced during the deputy sheriff’s forum, where many questions centered around morale, leadership decisions, staffing concerns and the overall direction of the organization.
Beller stated that if elected sheriff, he would focus on bringing people together and fostering a culture built on accountability, professionalism and unity.
“As Sheriff, I’ll do what I’ve always done as a leader: listen, bring people to the table, and foster a culture built on accountability, professionalism, and unity,” Beller wrote.
Beller also stated that voters “can be assured” his leadership would provide “a new direction” for the Sheriff’s Office focused on supporting deputies, strengthening the organization and moving the office forward “without internal division or politics.”
“The people of Kenosha County deserve a Sheriff’s Office built on trust, strong leadership, accountability, and respect for the men and women doing the job every day,” Beller wrote.
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Zoerner Asked to Respond
Kenosha County Eye also reached out to Sheriff David Zoerner regarding what appears to be substantial internal support for Gonzalez over the incumbent sheriff.
Zoerner was asked whether he wished to comment on what appears to be overwhelming support for Gonzalez from within the Sheriff’s Office, beginning with the Deputy Sheriff’s Association vote and now extending into the command staff level.
As of publication, Zoerner had not responded. He has touted the endorsements of Kenosha County Executive Samantha Kerkman and Village of Somers President George Stoner, but political insiders say each alone, could cost Zoerner many votes in what was was considered a close election.
The endorsement letter in its entirety is published below.
60 Responses
Regardless, change is more likely to occur when someone from outside the organization is brought in.
We don’t need another KPD
That’s for sure
Incorrect
Gonzalez resume is impeccable. Having the support of your peers is definitely helpful. I hope he wins.
The problem is that both Jim and Tony are good guys and credible candidates who may split the vote.
What an awkward and uncomfortable workday that will make.
It’s funny you forgot to add correctional staff in your chart as well as corporals as the heading states “Kenosha County Sheriffs Office organizational structure and internal support” but yet corrections staff were not included even though they are part of the department. Show the whole stats thank you.
Most of the correctional staff has signed already supporting Gonzalez. No one heard about that because no one thinks about the jail. If Kevin wants to dig a bit further, he might find that document.
We want someone who knows we exist and the inner workings of the jail. An outsider will take years to learn how to run it and navigate federal and state issues.
Zoerner clocked out on day one. The reason he listens to Kerkman and gang is because he’d like to move up in politics. He has totally forgotten about the jail. Those guys in the article pic are the actual people running the jail… with no input from Zoerner.
Gonzalez can start fixing things from day one. Including the shitty recruitment and hiring for the jail, the retention of people who shouldn’t be there, the supervisors that cover for each other and screw us over and the crappy 12 hour schedule and massive overtime.
It says a lot when 98% of the whole organization supports one candidate.
Are you trying to say that a broken clock is still correct twice a day?
The people that I’ve talked to that have worked there since they used to work 8hr shifts, actually love the 12 hour shift since they no longer have to wait a month and a half to maybe get a weekend off. It’s not having your days off guaranteed is what one of the biggest drawbacks of the job along with not having post Retirement health insurance.
Many prisons in the state work 12 hour shifts and guarantee their officers off days.
So if you say those 4 guys are running the jail, aren’t they the ones screwing it up?
Screwing it up? lol
Wow! I can’t imagine how Zoerner feels as he walks into the office knowing 98-99% of your employees DO NOT support your “leadership!”
He’s losing votes by the day!!
Zoerner should save face and bow out and throw his support towards Capt. Tony Gonzalez. Tony will right the ship starting day 1.
I hope the citizens of Kenosha Co will heed the plea of virtually the ENTIRE Sheriff’s Department and vote for someone other than Zoerner!
Nothing more true has ever been spoken. Zoerner is just not the person for the job, he has shown over and over again that he doesn’t know what he is doing and quite frankly doesn’t care. While Beller is a nice guy and might have done some good things at KPD, the Sheriffs Department is not KPD. It will take him months if not years to learn and understand the jail and how it works. The FBI academy is a cool feather to have in your cap, but does not teach how to deal with the jail or all of the smaller municipalities that have to be dealt with. That comes with time on the job and relationships that have already been established. The best candidate for the job is Tony Gonzalez hands down.
Would Beller pass this interview ?
With other applicants to choose from ?
I think not.
Beller does not have to “learn and understand the jail and how it works.” Neither does Gonzales. What they need to do is hire competent people who do understand and who are professionals trained in corrections. The present system of assigning command staff who were trained in law enforcement is haphazard. This isn’t podunk. We have a county jail, pretrial detention facility and correctional center with hundreds of inmates. I hope that the new sheriff, whoever he is, will wake up and get a professional correctional administration team in place.
I don’t know if Gonzales is the best candidate. He has internal support but so did Zoerner when they didn’t like Beth and Beth when they didn’t like Zarletti. There is a case to be made for someone from the outside to come in who owes no political or personal loyalties.
And what happens when nothing changes?
Corpsman stick together
Zoerner. Kerkman, and Stoner—— Does anyone wonder how things get so screwed up?
Conventional logic would be for Zoerner to retire but he may be banking on the prospect that his opponents will split the vote for him to win.
Why wouldn’t they have a conference and decide which will drop out ???
We need to endorse Bryan Steils opponents Walleck and Gonzalez
He’s probably, literally, retarded. If there’s not a cognitive delay, then there’s almost certainly some other undiagnosed mental health issue. Steil isn’t the one— but sending a retard to Washington probably isn’t the best way to fix things, either.
Samantha kerkman will rig the voting machines for Zoerner I heard
Have you heard that woman speak? She’s not rigging voting machines- she can barely brush her own hair!
Why are you so obsessed with her hair and clothes? Find a new schtick instead of posting mean crap about women’s appearance every time. Maybe post a pic of yourself so we can critique you.
Doesn’t anyone realize that there is a very high probability that nothing will change if you stick from within. That’s the command staff. They hold some responsibility for where the KSD is at now.
Beller for Sheriff. No comparison in training and experience!
You mean zero experience and training with the sheriff’s department, including the jail, versus 18 years of experience and training in all divisions of the department?
But that’s exactly the problem. The sheriff needs to be a leader. Internal candidates haven’t fared well in recent years. Maybe 18 years experience within an agency that seems to have problems isn’t a good thing.
No thanks.
While in some scenarios I may be inclined to agree with you. However, in this particular situation you are wrong. There has never been a candidate from within that has had half the honesty, integrity, ability, knowledge, and earned respect from peers and employees alike. Tony has fought a good fight from every position he has been in, trying to make the department a better place for the people that work there and for the citizens in the county. The problem is, as with other members of command staff, they have been stifled and stonewalled by the guy at the top and the county exec. While I don’t dislike Beller, he just has no knowledge of how the Sheriffs Department works. No knowledge of what is required to work with the contract villages, no knowledge of the court system/conveyance, and most importantly no knowledge of the jail. While having an FBI certificate is impressive, it doesn’t give him the ability to run a Department that is vastly different than where he works. He will be so far behind that the first several months or years, he will have to spebd his time trying to learn stuff that Tony already knows. Tony knows the village dynamics, Tony knows the court system/ conveyance, Tony knows the process division and most importantly he knows the Jail and in every one of those areas Tony is loved and supported. Beller is a good dude, but he should stick with a PD related position, because Tony Gonzales is the one and only Candidate for Kenosha County Sheriff. And if you don’t believe me ask almost any, deputy, supervisor, detective, jailer or as the article points out command staff.
I may agree with Tony has the inside knowledge of how the show runs but that is not always a good thing. Dave Beth had no clue how things were run. He spent all his time as a DARE Officers never being in command. He was elected Sheriff having no command duties under his belt. He just had the great gift of gab. He also had accounting issues when it came to the DARE account later in his career. He kept that check book under wraps so nobody could see the iffy things he was doing with the cash.
If you have an ounce of brains you can learn the job quickly. Clean house and start with a new Sheriff. JAMES BELLER!!!!!!!!
Kenosha can have Gonzalez, maybe Racine could borrow Beller?
Our so-called frontrunner covered for a pedo.
Collapse
Few questions for all of the command staff from the Sheriff’s Office.
1) How hard did you push to fire the deputy that gave out drug search warrant info? She put the responding deputies in more danger tipping off the drug dealers.
2) How hard did they fight not to hire the convicted felon as a deputy. And please don’t hide behind his record was cleared. You tarnished the badge!!!
3) How hard did they fight to fire the deputy who used the camera system to spy on his girlfriend?
4) How hard did you fight to not hire the deputy who cheated on the state police test in another state?
It is time to clean house and put a new face in office. One that is not beholden or buddies with the current staff.
James Beller will be fair but hold people accountable and not tarnish the badge.
A;lso Tony was asked if he was running for Sheriff to which he told people NO!!!!! Soon after James Beller tossed his name in the ring Tony did a about face. HMMMM!
All valid questions for these so called leaders
All valid questions but it is like the old EF Hutton commercials, if the guy at the top talks, everyone else has to listen. And there are plenty of black eye situations on the KPD side that we could be asking the same type of questions about.
Where’s Special Deputy Yosemite Sam?
He will solidly support Sheriff Elmer Fudd.
In my working days if Supervision found out about this incursion I would of been fired for insubordination
This office in particular will show if the political machines that are in place will be enough to get Zoerner over the finish line.
There has to be enough people in the county that are aware of this race and understand that Zoerner needs to go.
The only problem now is splitting the vote three ways. There is still time to rally support on one candidate. If any of these candidates truly love their job and understands what having the wrong person in that job does for the citizens, they will bow out and think of another way to help out.
WALLECK DEBATE JULY 17TH KENOSHA
Who is Wallek?
Bring back Sheriff David Beth!!!
Shepherds of men. All these people know how to do is turn keys and ignore people. Put a 24/7 live feed from inside the jail. You’ll see exactly how much work these people do.
Not sure whom you are referring to. Jailers or Command Staff/Supervision? There are literally hundreds of cameras in the detention facilities along with jailers being required to wear body cameras. However, command staff and administration areas have zero cameras. Wonder why that is….
That’s all that’s needed- make sure the losers stay in their cells.
Can’t help but notice both Steinbrinks Sr and Jr have Gonzalez signs on their property. There’s no better sign that change needs to come from the outside.
That’s a huge red flag and makes you wonder if he knew those good old boys from PP were backing him. If in doubt, Beller will make a great Sheriff, he has the background, no matter what other say, and can argue he is an outsider of sorts. I don’t know Tony, but it’s concerning to see signs in the yards of people with apparent government corruption in their families. Beller will bring integrity to the Sheriff’s Office. The current course needs to change for the good of the Sheriff’s Department. You can’t have leaders who don’t have the support of their own people, that’s an even bigger red flag.
Yeah…I noticed that too but I also do not even see anyone living at their homes! Sure, you might a car parked in the driveway(JR’s) once in awhile but no.activity at the.homes. Maybe.its all for show.
Someone mentioned Steinbrink SR would be the type to sell his property to a data center. Pleasant Prairie needs to start keeping a closer eye on what’s happening in their.town!
No. Pleasant Prairie residents and voters need to act !
Elect new officials.
Demand change.
Need to start ?
Yeah. A long time ago
Section 8 housing development coming to a cornfield near you ! I asked about it,and was told a was going to be developed , but not what kind! When I checked real estate records, the cornfield was owned by a board member
I’ve known Gonzo since he joined the force. He is reliable, trustworthy, efficient, and honest. He has real integrity. It comes as no surprise that he has earned the strong support of his colleagues, both in detention and in law enforcement.
The only real question is whether the people of our happy and prosperous community are actually ready to vote for a Hispanic candidate. If they are —and I truly hope they are— there’s no doubt he will leave the other two contenders far behind. Zoerner has been a complete fiasco who betrayed his own base, and for Beller the chair clearly seems too big. Gonzo has my vote.
Beller needs to bow out. He’s city not county.
If he says he’s genuine in helping the whole of Kenosha he should understand that there is a better choice already ready to hit the ground running and not needing months if not more of a learning curve.
Am I correct ? There are over 300 county employees in the sheriff’s department ?
Court, corrections and patrol ?
People need to think big picture and not individual egos
Beller has every right to stay in the race. People could equally argue that Gonzales should bow out. The last few times we’ve had internal candidates get elected it hasn’t turned out well. You say look at the big picture. Game on. If Beller gets elected he will have the benefit of having the same command staff, including Tony. Maybe that’s a win-win to have a fresh perspective at the top working with the collective wisdom of the command staff. Maybe the “this is the way we do it” and “this is how we’ve always done things” needs to be challenged to see if it can be improved.
I don’t care if Tony is hispanic or not and I don’t think most voters care, either. He is a good guy. And Jim is also good with the same attributes. The problem I have is that the last three sheriffs came from within and maybe it’s time for a fresh approach. And certainly if Jim is elected he would be an idiot not to have Tony at his side.
This ain’t Podunk, folks. The sheriff’s number one job isn’t running the department or playing cop but rather ensuring that the right people are running the department and the job is being done. That means community connections, relationships with the county board and understanding how things are done elsewhere. How can things change if all one knows is how things are done within KSD? The problem here is ordinarily a good one as both Tony and Jim are great candidates and good people. But they will split the vote and Zoerner could get reelected because of that.
3 out of 4 need to go on a diet.
“The event, hosted and sponsored by Kenosha County Eye, will feature confirmed appearances by Republican sheriff candidates Captain James Beller and Captain Tony Gonzalez. Incumbent Sheriff David Zoerner has also been invited, though he has not yet confirmed whether he will attend.”
Gonzalez will win the primary with 43%
Beller will get 34%
Zoerner will receive 22%.
Zoerner will then announce a write in campaign saying that 67% didn’t vote for Tony.
57%.
Nobody likes the puffy little guy .