Acting sheriff charts his own course
Schmidt says he’s loyal to former boss Clarke, but different from him
Richard Schmidt is the new sheriff in town, a 61-year-old grandfather who worked his way through the ranks from the jail to the freeways to the command staff. He says he’s not interested in politics, and as for wearing any medals, well, he’ll let a simple badge take pride of place on his uniform shirt.
And, he remains fiercely loyal to his old boss, former Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. But that doesn’t mean Schmidt, who has the title of Milwaukee County’s acting sheriff, isn’t ready to chart his own course on the job.
“I am not out to raise my plat-
form,” Schmidt said Thursday. “I’m not out to fight people. I am in a cooperative mode. I intend to work with every elected official in a positive cooperative manner. I intend to treat everyone with respect.
“But, (are) you ready, if somebody punches me, and I don’t mean physically, but if they punch at me, if they take a swing at me, I will respond. This office will not be walked over, nor will it be diminished based on someone’s political rhetoric.”
During an hourlong interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Schmidt outlined new policies and initiatives. They include a budget freeze to deal with a projected $5 million deficit and stepped up traffic enforcement.
In his first media release as acting sheriff, Schmidt said he ordered “saturation patrols” to check for speeding at the freeway construction project along I-94.
He also said that the Aug. 29 death of a 51-yearold jail inmate at the Milwaukee County Jail is being investigated by the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department. The request was made by Clarke.
Schmidt said that under his watch, outside entities will investigate any death that occurs at the jail.
Since April 2016, six people have died at the jail, including a newborn and mentally ill inmate who died of dehydration in solitary confinement. One of Schmidt’s first actions as acting sheriff was asking the National Corrections Institute to conduct a review of all operations at the facility.
Schmidt spoke at length about his life and career but sidestepped a question about whether he’ll apply to Gov. Scott Walker for the position of interim sheriff.
“Great question,” he said. “We shall see. Stay tuned.”
Born in Milwaukee, Schmidt lived in the Chicago suburbs and Seattle. His father, now 91, worked as a mechanical engineer. His mother died several years ago. He has two sisters.
Schmidt and his wife, Valori, married in 1979. They have a son, two daughters and five grandchildren.
Schmidt earned undergraduate and graduate degrees at Hyles-Anderson College, an independent Baptist college in Crown Point, Ind. He earned a doctorate in
“I intend to work with every elected official in a positive cooperative manner. I intend to treat everyone with respect.” RICHARD SCHMIDT
ministry from Northland International University in Dunbar. He also volunteered for a time as the school’s acting chief financial officer before its closure in 2015.
“I’ve done a lot of Christian work,” he said. “I’ve been in church planting (helping establish local churches). I’ve worked with multiple different churches. I’m very pro in that area.”
Schmidt was living in the Milwaukee area, working construction and also doing ministry work when his aunt showed him an advertisement. The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office was hiring. Schmidt applied and joined the force in June of 1986.
“I spent my first several years in what was the jail in the Safety Building,” he said. “It was a culture shock. Absolute culture shock.”
“When I first started, the jail was bars, it was not what you see in the media today where you see rooms and wooden doors and day rooms,” he said. “The conditions were mice running behind my desk, roaches everywhere. It smelled. It was hot. There were constant fights. It was a very tough environment.”
Schmidt said the jail now operates under direct supervision, where inmates are out in the open, not locked up behind “the old-style cage concept.”
“Even though our inmates are a much more violent and a much more sick population based on alcohol and drug abuse and mental illness issues, the environment is actually tremendously safer than it used to be,” he said.
Schmidt said his early career goal was to get to patrol. He worked third shift on the expressway patrol and said he loved it.
Over his career, Schmidt has led the Police Services Bureau and the Detention Services Bureau, and in 2010 was promoted by Clarke to senior commander of the agency. Basically, he ran the day-to-day operations of the office.
During his first news conference, Schmidt said Clarke helped make his career. The two first met in 2002 at a Hales Corners police station, shortly after Clarke was appointed sheriff.
“I greatly admire the sheriff,” Schmidt said. “I respect him. I don’t know that he has experienced anyone else as loyal to him as I’ve been.”
After Clarke retired, Schmidt said he sent a message to his former boss.
“I served him for 15 years and wanted him to know what true loyalty was,” Schmidt said. “I never had an ulterior motive. I never wanted anything from him. I don’t believe I ever asked him for anything. I was 100% loyal.”
Schmidt avoided comparing himself to Clarke, explaining that they’re two different people.
He said he welcomed public scrutiny as he handles the job.
“All you have to do is watch me,” he said. “I don’t pull punches. But I’m going to be kind, respectful. What you see is what you get. I’m not putting on airs. I’m not a politician. I don’t intend to be a politician. I’m a cop. I have ethics. I have morals.”