About Jeff - Diederich for Sheriff

Jeff Diederich

FOR WILLIAMSON COUNTY SHERIFF

“I believe that through a combination of my business leadership experience, over a decade of law enforcement service, and my approach to accomplishing goals I can provide the community law enforcement services in a professional, efficient, and elevated standard.”

With over 25 years of leadership experience I have a proven and measurable history of producing higher than anticipated results while improving the morale, motivation, pride, and performance of those around me.

As Sheriff, I will set the tone of professionalism and pride at the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. I will be the first “active” Sheriff to hold this elected position in many years. As a result, I will be knowledgeable and connected to those who serve the department and those who require its services.

I believe that through a combination of my business leadership experience, over a decade of law enforcement service, and my approach to accomplishing goals I can provide the community law enforcement services in a professional, efficient, and elevated standard.

Read Vision

Williamson County Sheriff Candidate 2022, Jeff Diederich and Family

Williamson County Sheriff Candidate 2022, Jeff Diederich on the Square

Endorsements

“As a Member of Congress, I am always proud to fight in Washington for the Southern Illinois’ values and it’s always a great thing to have leaders like Jeff to stand with. With so many problems facing us, like opioids, illegal immigration and the safety of our families, I know it’s going to take leaders like Jeff on the front lines to help fight back.”

Mike Bost

U.S. Representative Illinois 12th District

“Some of you may not know that Jeff has a genuine interest in law enforcement. He has completed more than 10 years of advanced law enforcement training and education and is currently a special investigator with the Energy Police Department. Jeff is a certified K9 handler, graduate of Special Weapons Tactics (SWAT) and is a certified Advanced Narcotics Investigator. Jeff is a representative to the Board of the Southern Illinois Enforcement Group. Jeff is a successful Williamson County business man, a community leader and a highly qualified law enforcement officer. He has all the training, experience, and temperament necessary to administrate the office of Williamson County Sheriff. I consider it an honor to endorse his candidacy.”

Bob Winchester

Former: Illinois State Representative, Illinois Deputy Governor, State Central Committeeman for the 15th and 19th Congressional Districts

“Jeff is an intelligent and highly motivated individual with a strong work ethic and a proven track record of success in the Williamson County area and beyond. He is known and respected not only throughout the business sector but also in the community and volunteer arena. His strong family values and deep sense of commitment drives him to always to do more and go further for his community which for over the last decade has also included extensive law enforcement training and experience. It is with great pleasure that I offer my support and endorsement of Jeff Diederich for Sheriff of Williamson County.”

Rhonda Belford

Southern Regional Vice President, County Chairman's Association

Vision Outline:

REDUCE TAX BURDEN
SAFETY

BETTER EQUIPMENT & TOOLS
REDUCE CRIME

UNITY, TRANSPARENCY & ACCESSIBILITY
EFFICIENCY & PRODUCTIVITY

Reduce Tax Burden

While the Sheriff’s office is funded by public tax dollars it is incumbent upon all of us to find a way to do more with less. By finding alternative funding sources I will work tirelessly to better subsidize the department’s budget needs by creating funding mechanisms which shift the increasing cost of combating criminal activity to those who commit crimes and not to the tax payers of Williamson County. I will further seek grants from public and private funding sources which will defray the burden on tax payers. When these grants are non-existent I am equally equipped to lobby our state and federal representatives to accommodate our needs.

I will continue to work with jail administration to minimize operating costs and increase outside revenue through the expansion of housing federal inmates which defers the jails operational costs away from the tax payers of Williamson County.

Safety

I have often asked the question, “How can we send a person to the moon and communicate via radio with them, but a police officer can’t talk clearly from the south end of Williamson County to dispatch”. Without question this poses a significant officer safety risk to law enforcement and can delay emergency services from arriving when you need them most. I am committed to resolving this concern and plan to do so through alternative funding sources as to not burden the counties tax payers. Establishing these communications systems will replace or upgrade the current system which was originally established in 1996 long before the advancement of today’s current technology.

I will work closely with the department’s auxiliary officer unit to increase the frequency which patrol vehicles are active with two officer vehicles which will increase officer safety at no additional cost to the tax payers.

Williamson County Sheriff Candidate 2022, Jeff Diederich on Patrol

BETTER EQUIPMENT & TOOLS

Vehicles and other equipment are essential to the safety of our law enforcement officers and their ability to respond to life and death calls for service throughout Williamson County. I will work diligently to secure a more modern fleet of vehicles for patrol officers which will reduce maintenance expense and improve reliability to the public’s needs. I intend to do this within the existing annual budget and by sourcing alternative funding mechanisms to increase the rate at which vehicles are replaced within the fleet. My objective is to provide newer, more efficient and reliable vehicles which assist in the comfort and retention of our law enforcement officers without an increased expense to the tax payers of Williamson County.

Williamson County Sheriff Candidate 2022, Jeff Diederich at Shooting Range

REDUCE CRIME

Through crime mapping and other predictive modeling techniques I will shape the deployment of the departments resources where and when they are needed to create an improved efficiency and greater deterrent before crime occurs versus arriving afterwards to take a report. Crime mapping and predictive modeling is nothing new and has been in use in various parts of the country for years. With little expense we are able to enter historical data based on the location crime has occurred over a number of years and then view that data with a better understanding of where and when these crimes occur. By utilizing this data properly, we can saturate law enforcement into areas more probable to experience crime at certain times of the day versus having resources isolated in areas that haven’t experienced crime in decades or haven’t experienced crimes at certain hours of the day or night. This is the difference between modern day law enforcement and the period prior to technology.

Republican Williamson County Sheriff Candidate 2022, Jeff Diederich

UNITY, TRANSPARENCY & ACCESSIBILITY

I am committed to unity in policing by improving the working relationships internally and externally at the Sheriff’s Office and Jail. I will promote positive partnerships with the public we serve, our employees, and other agencies. Transparency applies to both the members of the department to ensure that they are treated fairly and without bias and to the members of the public.

To the public I extend an open line of communication. You will always be welcome to contact me and express your appreciation or concerns and know that those matters will be heard and acted upon appropriately. I will inform the public regarding important information, provide a platform for transparency and accountability, and remain committed to public accessibility. I will be accountable to the tax payers and recognize that as Sheriff I work for the citizens of Williamson County.

Within the law enforcement community, I will return the camaraderie between law enforcement officers through trust and integrity. As an “active” Sheriff I will be the first in a number of years to be in the field working side-by-side with deputies and leading by example. Through mutual respect we will be committed to the task of providing citizens law enforcement services in a professional manner. Law enforcement officers under my command will appreciate the manner in which I bestow trust, respect, fairness, and support as they carry out their duties each day. These are some of the best law enforcement professionals in our community and they deserve to be respected as such. My open-door policy will ensure that law enforcement officers both inside and outside of the Sheriff’s Office will have a direct line of communication to me. I will work closely to ensure that members of the department are considered for recognition and promotion based on their performance and without regard to their friendship circles. This transparency is essential in building trust and strong working relationships.

To members of other police departments please know that I desire and I am committed to establishing the strongest working relationships and look forward to unprecedented interaction and coordination from rank and file throughout department leadership with a common goal of preventing criminal activity before it occurs and locating those who violate the law.

While most patrol vehicles within the Sheriff’s Office are equipped with onboard camera systems the department continues to have a vast number of those systems inoperable. I will be committed to maintaining cameras throughout the vehicle fleet for reasons which include transparency, officer safety, and evidence gathering.

I am committed to the installation of GPS tracking in all patrol vehicles. These systems will be solely focused on officer safety and expediting police response time. I will establish mapping screens in dispatch centers which will indicate where all police cars are located. This information will also be available in all patrol vehicles allowing both officers on duty and dispatch to quickly locate an officer when critical response time is needed and without tying up communication frequencies. Dispatch will also be able to respond to critical calls by sending the “nearest available unit” versus the car assigned to a specific zone.

EFFICIENCY & PRODUCTIVITY

Many years ago the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office established a cold case squad for the purpose of investigating cases which have long fell cold of leads. These cases often include homicide, rape, armed robbery, and other violent crimes. The departments investigators are consumed with recent active cases and have limited if any time available to devote to cold cases. Today, the cold case squad is seldom active and the files are housed in a dark room left for another day. I am committed to resuming the routine activities of this program. We owe it to the victims and their families that these criminals are brought to justice.

The above is a sample of my vision. There is significantly more to do. This list will continue to evolve between now and the election. In fact, this list we continue throughout my tenure as Williamson County Sheriff. I will continue to update, modify, and amend as this is a working list. I further anticipate that once this list becomes public there will be an attempt to utilize these concepts or dispel them between now and the election. If that should occur, I am humbled to invoke change well before my tenure begins. There will be plenty more to accomplish.

Thank you for taking the time to hear my message. If you have any questions or would like to speak directly with me, I can be reached at 618.889.4226. I appreciate your support.

Please vote Jeff Diederich for Sheriff of Williamson County!