Kramer to face Perez for sheriff after Russell concedes defeat

Don Kramer, who left the Kane County Sheriff's Office Nov. 30 to run for the head job, will face off against his former boss, incumbent Sheriff Pat Perez in November.

Rob Russell, Kramer's opponent in the hotly contested Republican primary, conceded late Friday.

He was a couple of hundred votes behind Kramer Tuesday night, but delayed conceding to weigh his chances of improving his standing after all absentee and provisional ballots had been counted, a process not yet completed.

Russell, of South Elgin, said Kramer ran "a clean and issues-based campaign and I wish him success in the election. Between him and his father, George (past sheriff of Kane Co), there has been almost 50 years of public service to the citizens of Kane County, so I believe the Kramer family needs to be commended for that."

In their first day of facing each other, first-term Democrat Perez, who was unopposed in the primary, and Kramer both promised positive campaigns, avoiding even the remotest criticism of the other, each talking up their own assets.

"I want a good, clean campaign," Kramer, of Geneva, said.

"I'm going to campaign on my record of accomplishment since 2006 and my plans for the future," said Perez, of Sugar Grove. A deputy in the office for 14 years, he was elected four years ago on his second try with 51 percent of the vote after the Republican incumbent didn't run for re-election.

Both candidates are in their early 50s. Perez is the first Hispanic to hold the office.

Kramer, who was with the office 30 years, cited his training, which includes a master's degree in criminal science, and his experience in improving various sheriff's office programs he has worked with in his career as assets. He said he would use a collaborative, team management approach to running the office.

He said he hopes to increase the number of patrol officers over time if the economy improves and with the aid of state and federal grants, but he said he understands the need for the department to live within its means after spending the last nine months working in the unit that carries out evictions.

"Hopefully, the fiscal situation would get better," he said. "In the short run, everybody is tightening."

When Perez took office, the department was in the red, and recently too, it has faced major financial problems. Perez recently reached an agreement with the union to freeze pay for the first half of the year in return for no layoffs this year.

Perez cited his steps over his term to reduce management layers and sworn personnel, which now are at 86 down from 95, allowing the department to operate on a budget lower than the year before he took office.

"We've streamlined the organization and we've still managed to reduce crime and make Kane County safe," he said.