While improvements will always be considered, much of the day-to-day operations of the Cole County Sheriff's Department will stay the same under John Wheeler's leadership.
Wheeler won Tuesday's Republican primary over Randy Dampf and Gary Hill. Although he still faces the general election in November, no candidate from an opposing party filed to run for sheriff.
"I've worked with Greg (White) to get the department to where it's at now; I'm still reviewing things to see what changes, if any, do I need to make," Wheeler said.
A major function of the department is running the county jail, and Wheeler said it is an ongoing process, not something you look at once a year.
"The biggest thing we have to deal with is part-time staff," he said. "Either we find a way to make that program work or do away with it. We're getting fewer people applying. It looks good on paper, but getting people to work at the times you need them to work is hard. Most are also looking for full-time jobs, and that's understandable. They use us a stepping stone. Some would even take a pay cut if it meant they could work as a road deputy."
In June, the County Commission authorized the department to add a detective position and three jailers.
"All three of us who ran heard from citizens that felt there (were) not enough deputies working the roads, but we're looking at our upcoming budget to improve that," Wheeler said. "I told citizens the same thing Randy and Gary said, and that was we do the best we can with what we have."
There are currently 21 working road deputies in the department, four detectives and two narcotics detectives.
"Just like the rest of the country and the state, we're having more thefts and more domestic violence calls," Wheeler said. "The night of the election, we had six domestic violence calls. I'm on the Rape and Abuse Crisis Service (RACS) board, and we're trying to raise awareness. There's no single bullet out there to deal with all these. There's a lot of individual programs that can make a difference in people's lives. The Sheriff's Department has to keep up with them."
Hill has been the patrol division commander for the department. Although they ran against each other for sheriff, Wheeler said Hill will be his chief deputy.
"I told him, 'I need you here,'" Wheeler said. "Gary told me 11 years ago that he would be running for sheriff, so we knew we would run together. Our families are close, so I don't foresee any issues between he and I. He's a good man.
"I see our relationship with almost the same dynamic as Greg (White) and I. We have some different visions and problem-solving methods, but many times, the answers we come up with are the same. One thing I learned from Greg was to always have someone who thinks differently than you because you want to have all the options before making a decision."
"I don't think anything will change," Hill said. "If he offers me the chief deputy job, I'll more than likely take it. There would really have to be something come along that would make me not think about taking that position. We can work together; there's no doubt in mind. We can only go up from here."
Hill said there was no contentiousness between him and Wheeler during the campaign.
"We are professionals," Hill said. "We always had what was best for the citizens first. We joked a lot. I'm a good soldier. I follow orders. If I was looking for stuff to use against Capt. Wheeler, it would have been different, but there wasn't anything like that. We said, 'Let's let the chips fall where they may.'"
Hill said he and Wheeler will look to do what is best for the staff.
"Over the last 11 years, and even before, people didn't always agree with my philosophy, but we are men, and I'm going to follow orders," Hill said.
Wheeler said he hopes it will to be a good transition from White to him.
"The worst thing is to greatly change the vision, and one thing about me taking over is that Greg and I have the same expectations of the department," Wheeler said.
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