Gibson County Sheriff Bruce Vanoven is nearing the end of his first term. Under Indiana law, he can run one more time.
“So Indiana is one of four states that have term limits on the office of the sheriff,” Vanoven said. “You can serve two consecutive terms, and then you have to sit out for a term. So you can serve four years, then another four years, then you have to sit out.”
A Democratric challenger can still be added to the ballot up to this Summer. But as of right now Vanoven’s only opponent is from within the Republican party — Princeton Police Officer Jeremy Robb.
“I've listened to the deputies and first responders and community members, and it's clear that people want stronger leadership, better communication and renewed morale,” Robb said. “I think our two departments can come together and train together. The guys who work together on a road know what's going on between the two departments. So we're not quite getting that right now.”
Vanoven said he’s running again to build on the work of the first four years.
“We've had a lot of community engagement and a lot of transparency. I want to build on that,” he said. “With my employees, there's been elevated morale, and I've been able to lay out a culture, the accepted practices and standards of my agency. I want to build upon that.”
Both candidates have more than 20 years of experience in the field, both are married with children. While a partisan position, neither feel that being a republican should factor into their work as Sheriff.
“I'm a conservative and I'm a Christian,” Vanoven said. “Before we get too deep in the weeds, though, I want to make sure people understand. The Bible says ‘Judge not, lest ye be judged.’ Just because somebody looks different and thinks differently than me doesn't mean that I need to treat them any differently …”
Jeremy Robb said public safety should never be partisan. “While I'm proud of my values, my focus as Sheriff will be fairness, professionalism and doing what's best for the safety and well being of our citizens. (The) badge represents service to all people, and I will lead with integrity, respect and accountability for everyone.”
When asked how he might lead differently than Vanoven, Robb said, “I will lead with focus on communication, unity and support for our deputies and staff. I believe the leadership should be present, approachable and actively involved. So I will be working right alongside the road with them. You know, I want to be out there and be part of the sheriff's department and what the deputies are actually doing every day.”
Vanoven said he didn’t want to offer a rebuttal. “I respect my opponent, and I just want to say I'm running for me, not against him.”
He did say he was proud of accomplishments such as the new jail and sheriff facilities, expanded staffing, a new drone and K-9 program and school resource officer programs.
The primary election is May 5. Vanoven is the only incumbent with a primary challenger.
Vanderbugh County Sheriff Noah Robinson is so far unopposed for his second term. Posey County Sheriff Tom Latham is term-limited, along with Mike Wilder of Warrick County. The chief Deputy of both departments are running on the Republican ticket.
Warrick county is a contested primary between two new Republican candidates — Kevin Brown and Chief Deputy Paul Kruse.
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Full candidate Q&A — Jeremy Robb
Text is lightly edited from AI transcript
Tim Jagielo
First of all, could you just tell me about yourself?
Jeremy Robb
My name is Jeremy Rob, 48 years old, married, got a beautiful wife, two sons. I've dedicated my life to serving and protecting my community. I've been at the Princeton Police Department. I was sworn in, April 1, 2004 and I've had my whole careers at Princeton so far. I am currently a founding member of the ERT team for Princeton. I'm a drone operator, been a canine handler for over eight years. I'm a drug recognition expert, instructor in chemical munitions, different things like that for the department. So I'm well versed in my field. Done pretty well there.
TJ
Why are you running — especially against an incumbent Republican candidate?
JR
I deeply care about the community and the future of our Sheriff's Department. I've listened to the deputies and first responders and community members, and it's clear that people want stronger leadership, better communication and renewed morale. So I look for unified training between the departments, with my cousin being the chief of police there at Princeton. I think our two departments can come together and train awesomely together. The guys who work together on a road know what's going on between the two departments. So we're not quite getting that right now.
TJ
But what about your background makes you a strong candidate to be the Sheriff of Gibson County?
JR
My strength comes from real hands on experience and leadership … I worked alongside the deputies and responded to difficult situations and build relationships across the agencies. I understand the importance of the training, accountability and supporting the men and women who put the uniform on, and I'm committed to improving the morale.
TJ
It's a partisan position. What about being a Republican will dictate how you lead the sheriff's office?
JR
It's a sheriff's responsibility to serve everyone in the community regardless political affiliation. Public Safety should never be partisan. While I'm proud of my values, my focus as Sheriff, I'll be unfairness, professionalism and doing what's best for the safety and well being of our citizens. Badge represents service to all people, and I will lead with integrity, respect and accountability for everyone.
TJ
You've also touched on this a little bit, but how might you work differently from the incumbent sheriff?
JR
I will lead with focus on communication, unity and support for our deputies and staff. I believe the leadership should be present, approachable and actively involved. So I will be working right alongside the road with them. You know, I want to be out there and be part of the sheriff's department and what the deputies are actually doing every day.
Full candidate Q&A — Bruce Vanoven, incumbent
Text is lightly edited from AI transcript
Tim Jagielo
Tell me about yourself —
Bruce Vanoven
My wife, Patty and I have been married for 30 years, go to Vertical Church. We both serve on the worship team, and I serve on the prayer team, and I help out with announcements. I've been employed by the Gibson County Sheriff's Office for 25 years, and in 2006 I became a certified general instructor with the Law Enforcement Training Board. And over the years, I've been certified in pressure point control tactics, close quarter combat, ground fighting, pepper ball, taser. And in 2020 I was elevated to the level of senior instructor with the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board. In addition to those certifications, I've also been a field training officer. I've been one of the founding members of the cell extraction response team and a pass commander, and I've also a certified school resource officer.
TJ
Why did you decide to run again?
BV
My first term was built on building relationships and building a bridge between the citizens of Gibson County and law enforcement. The reason I'm running again is because if we put a good, solid foundation to build on these bridges, the last four years, we've had a lot of community engagement and a lot of transparency. I want to build on that with my employees. There's been elevated morale, and I've been able to lay out a culture, the accepted practices and standards of my agency. I want to build upon that. And finally, I want to build on the relationship with offenders that come in to Gibson County. We've expanded our nursing hours in our detention center. We have expanded with evidence based programs in the jail, in our detention center and for home detention, I want to build on that.
TJ
You talk a lot about your training, your certifications, but what about your background makes you a strong candidate for the seat?
BV
I'm big about self development, and over my career, there's been a pattern of me getting better and making sure those around me get better. I seek out leadership development opportunities through things like the global leadership summit or different training things. Those are intentional things that I do. It gets all the way down to just reading books about leadership. Some of my favorite authors are John Maxwell, Craig Rochelle, but then I, like every old man, I'm reading books about military. I read a great book called 'Patton's Prayer.' Great leadership principles in there. 'Charlie Plum — I'm no hero.' He was in the Hanoi Hilton, great leadership stuff there. It's my belief that everybody gets better when a leader gets better. I've been very intentional with my relationships with other elected officials. I have a great relationship with the County Council and the county commissioners, and I want to develop that, and on the state level, with my representatives and the state senator, I want to develop that over the next four years.
TJ
Sheriff's office is a partisan position — you're running as a Republican, of course, how does being a Republican affect how you operate as a sheriff?
BV
So I want to put it out there. I'm a conservative and I'm a Christian, and before we get too deep in the weeds, though, I want to make sure people understand. The Bible says 'Judge not, lest ye be judged.' Just because somebody looks different and thinks different than me doesn't mean that I need to treat them any different. The Bible also says, 'Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you.' So if I want to be respected, I need to respect other people. And as a Republican, I want to protect our guaranteed constitutional freedoms, things like the Second Amendment, that is the right to keep and bear arms, the Fourth Amendment against unreasonable search and seizures, the Fifth Amendment against self incrimination, the right to remain silent, the sixth amendment of due process and the Eighth Amendment against cruel and unusual punishment. The 14th Amendment, equal protection of all. So whenever I say I want to be respected and I want to respect others. I have to be constitutional and protect those constitutional freedoms.
TJ
You talked about some accomplishment, you talked about some bridges that you've built, some things you've gotten accomplished. Anything else you want to share about accomplishments that you're proud of?
BV
Well, obviously, we have a state of the art facility and new equipment. We've increased our staffing with expanded budgeted positions for deputies on the road and dispatchers. We've created a drone program. We have a K9 program. We have created full time school resource officers in the south Gibson School Corporation and the East Gibson School Corporation. We've also created part time school resource officers in the parochial schools in South Gibson, we have a part time mental health counselor that works for us, that sees inmates and offenders, but also see some of our people. We've expanded our Audit and Review whenever somebody gets involved in a pursuit or an accident or a use of force or uses their taser, we've increased accountability, and those are the accomplishments that excite me.
TJ
At the end of every challenger interview, I always ask them, 'what might you do different from the incumbent?' And then I wanted to give you a chance to rebuttal if you wanted to. Is there anything you wanted to say about his his answer to the question?
BV
No, I respect my opponent, and I just want to say I'm running for me, not against him. Thank you