3 challenge incumbent Lake County sheriff
Three challengers are seeking to oust incumbent Democratic Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez to be the county’s top cop.
Maria Trajkovich, a 24-year veteran of the Lake County Sheriff’s Department; former Gary Police Chief and inspector for the U.S. Postal Service Richard Ligon, and Anthony Williams are looking to be their party’s representative for the post.
The incumbent Martinez said over the last four years as sheriff he has created, developed and launched several programs that support his vision to continue to make the Lake County Sheriff ’s Department a premier law enforcement agency.
“I am seeking reelection because I have a proven passion for making Lake County safer, and I want to continue the great strides I’ve made to reduce violent crime and drug activity. I want to maintain my aggressive policing policies including overnight enforcements targeting crimes like carjacking,” Martinez said. He also wants to continue increased patrols in rural and unincorporated areas of the county.
Martinez said he has demonstrated compassion for families at risk by creating the Police Assisted Recovery Initiative with two fulltime mental health professionals. The program helps people with substance abuse and mental health issues find non-arrest pathways to recovery.
“I’m the only candidate with a verified track record of keeping a balanced sheriff ’s department budget while providing officers with the highest level of technology and training to fight crime and respond to emergencies safely and effectively,” Martinez said.
Trajkovich, who ran for the sheriff ’s job in the caucus to replace former Sheriff John Buncich after his bribery conviction, and in the 2018 general election, losing to Martinez both times.
“I hate right now the depart
ment that I represent because of the shame we are all under right now,” she said.
Trajkovich said she would run the department differently than Martinez who is facing a felony charge of resisting arrest and a misdemeanor charge of reckless driving after a chase through Crown Point in his department issued Dodge Hellcat. Trajkovich said she would end the favoritism that has created a divide of “haves and have nots” in the department.
The sheriff ’s office is an administrative position and Trajkovich said her past experience in property management along with her personal experience as a single mother gives her the skills needed to do the job and make sure the officers are OK, the cars are good and they are receiving the correct training.
“We have to be able to communicate better, to connect better with our community, with our juveniles,” she said.
As a leader, Trajkovich said she would delegate tasks to the appropriate commanders who would then report back to ensure the job gets done instead of trying to be in control of everything.
Trajkovich said as a taxpayer she supports commissioners’ oversight of sheriff department spending and questions some of the purchases made while some officers still don’t have the laptops they need to do their jobs.
If elected, she would also would work to improve Lake County Animal Control.
“I would work very closely with the commissioners and council to make sure we are not overspending on things and buying sensible things, not a bunch of fancy things. We don’t have to have everything,” she said.
Trajkovich said she would support training for officers in diversity and de-escalation along with training to deal with mentally ill subjects.
Ligon also would like the third time to be the charm in his attempt to become the county’s top cop.
“First of all, I think anybody that lives in Lake County is really probably tired of being embarrassed (by the sheriff ’s office),” Ligon said. “The men and women who put their lives on the line deserve at least good leadership.”
The sheriff needs to be above reproach. Whether it is perception or fact, as a leader, the sheriff is going to be attacked if they do anything wrong.
“You have to be above that. You have to make sure you are the leader everyone respects,” he said.
Ligon would like the opportunity to implement some programs he was unable to do during his short stint as Gary chief of police at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Now is a good time to get some of these things done,” Ligon said. He would like to focus on police interaction with youth and the community in general to create trust. One program he would like to implement is the Law in Your Community program, which allows officers to do things in the community such as play chess with your or take them fishing. He plans to have 50% of the department certified for the program in his first year.
Ligon said he would also make a point of making sure department morale is where it should be and evaluate any wellness programs.
As a federal agent he was able to acquire investigative skills. Serving as the Gary police chief gave him an opportunity to understand what patrol officers on the street feel.
Like Trajkovich he is concerned about department spending while some officers do not have the proper equipment such as cars and computers to do their jobs.
Ligon said he would work to improve damaged relationships with other departments and the county’s federal partners to help ensure better cooperation and more effective policing.
“I have a lot of valuable information lot of valuable resources I will bring to this community. I will connect south Lake County and north Lake County. I will connect them,” he said.
“I’m running because I know I can make a difference,” Ligon said.
Efforts to reach Williams failed.