Zaruba for DuPage County sheriff, GOP

While calls for change surround us, we see no reason for a change on the DuPage County sheriff's office. Over his three terms in office, Sheriff John Zaruba can claim a string of successes and innovations that translate into a tight-run department. He watches trends in crime and crime-fighting to plan for the future. As this year's president of the National Sheriffs' Association, we believe he can bring clout to Springfield for anti-drug crime measures that he lists among his priorities.

During his tenure he has created a gang-intelligence unit and started a work alternative program to help alleviate jail crowding. He put in place the office's first public information officer, and outreach is continually improving through such efforts as a community alert e-mail system and a citizens police academy.

Opponent Mike Quiroz, a business owner and former deputy, was ill-prepared for our questions about budgeting and unable to give specific evidence of what he said were department flaws. Zaruba is the better choice.