John Krempotic: Candidate Profile

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Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioQA Bio City: North ChicagoWebsite: www.krempoticforsheriff.comOffice sought: Lake County Sheriff Age: 56Family: 1 brother 4 sistersOccupation: RetiredEducation: Bachalaureate in Criminal Justice- Carthage College, Kenosha, WisconsinAssociates Degree in Criminal Justice College of Lake CountyCivic involvement: Member of Most Blessed Trinity Parish, Waukegan, Illinois Member of Church ChoirFormer President of the Parish Council, Queen of Peace Parish, North Chicago, IllinoisFormer President of Fraternal Order of Police Labor CVouncil Lodge 66Elected offices held: Candidate did not respond.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoQuestions Answers Why are you running for this office? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what is that?I am running for the Office of Sheriff in order to return Professionalism to this Department. The morale has fallen to lows not seen since the Brown administration of 1980. The gang problem has spread to every community in Lake County and remains unchecked. There is a clear lack of leadership, within the Department and the citizens, of Lake County, are paying the price through an increase in property crimes, such as Burglary. Gangs are controling the drug trafficking and have expanded their sales into Grade, and Junior High, schools throughout the County.What differentiates you most from your opponents in the race?I have extensive training, and work experience, in every division of the Sheriffs Department. I received certification from the Public Safety Institute at Northwestern University in the following fields; Evidence Technition I, II, and III, Basic and Advanced Crisis Negotiation, Accident Investigation I and II, Accident Rec onstruction I and II, and Commercial Motorvehicle Accident Rec onstruction. I received certification in Blood Spatter Interpretation and Fingerprint Identification from the Fox Valley Technical Institute in Appleton, Wisconsin. I received certification in Homicide Investigation from the Southern Police Institute at the University of Louisville. I am became a certified Field Sobriety Testing at the Illinois State Police Academy. I am a Court Recognized expert in Fingerprint Identification and Accident Reconstruction in the 19th Judicial Circuit of the State of Illinois. Ispent five years on the Lake County Major Crime Task Force. I believe my training and experience is greater than my opponent and the incumbant Sheriff. When I retired i held one of the highest Arrest/Conviction ratios within the Sheriff's Department. I received an award from the Illinois Department of Transportation for exceeding 25 arrests for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol/Drugs. I was one of the highest decorated Deputies upon my retirement.What improvements can be made at the sheriff's office to increase and keep morale up among deputies and support staff members?I intend to work with the Unions representing the Deputies and Command Staff in order to change work schedules. This will allow me to increase the number of Deputies on patrol at any particular time. This new management of resources will also allow me to develop a gang enforcement Unit to crack down on gang activities and associated criminal activity such as drug dealing, crimes of violence, and Burglaries. I will exand the Criminal Investigations Division to encompass sexual assault crimes perpatrated upon members of society.In light of recent issues surrounding the use of red light cameras, are you for or against their continued use? Why or why not?I will use these cameras on a limited basis to address problems that a Uniformed Officer may not be able to properly add\ress. The use of these cameras as a money making endevour defeats the purpose which is to correct driver behavior. A camera cannot observe intoxicated motorists, Illegal drivers (no license, suspended license etc.).Is there anything new the office can do to combat gangs?Y. Just telling them 'NO' will not change anything.es there are new approaches to gang activity. i intend to use every effort to break up gangs and their related criminal activity. Any effort must include offering alterrnastives to the 'gang life'. i intgend to work with the private sector in order to provide job training and other educational opportunitiesFinally, is there anything we haven't asked about that you feel we should know?I have dedicated my entire working career to the serv ice of others. I haave studied the inner and outer workings of the Lake County Sheriffs Department and I know where changes can, and shall be made. The design of Patrol Districts have been the sdame for over 50 years during which time the population has grown from 100,000m to over 750,000. We must bring thus Department into the 21st Century.