Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett launched his campaign for reelection Feb. 10, according to WMTV15. The primary election will be held Aug. 11, and the general election will be Nov. 3, according to WMTV15.
Barrett was initially appointed sheriff by Gov. Tony Evers in 2021 following a vacancy in the office, according to WMTV15. He is the first Black sheriff in Dane County history and played football at the University of Wisconsin, according to his campaign website.
Barrett’s tenure has included oversight of routine law enforcement operations and involvement in broader discussions around public safety in Dane County. The ACLU of Wisconsin pushed the Dane County Sheriff’s Office to withdraw from the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program due to concerns regarding cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, according to ACLU. Barrett ended the department’s participation in the program in Jan. 2025, according to ACLU.
According to Barrett, the three main priorities for his second term are public safety, recruitment and retention and criminal justice reform.
“We understand that the criminal justice system is constantly being filled with individuals that are being arrested,” Barrett said. “What we want to do is get to the root cause. We want to make sure that they’re built up and better upon release and not bitter and broken.”
Programs in the county jail designed to reduce recidivism are a primary focus, according to Barrett. These include financial literacy and entrepreneurship classes through the Black Men’s Coalition of Dane County, online courses through Cornell University, parenting programs and medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder, Barrett said.
Barrett said his tenure included the creation of a mental health deputy team, the establishment of a human trafficking detective position and the opening of the Paul Rusk Resource Desk to provide clothing and essentials to people released from jail.
“We are not creating barriers for those looking for help from law enforcement,” Barrett said. “One of the first things I did as sheriff in 2021 was stop the proactive notification of ICE when someone is taken into custody. We also do not ask for someone’s citizenship status when we are in contact with them.”
The sheriff’s office partnered with the U.S. Department of Justice on a 2024 Language Access initiative, translating materials into the top five non-English speaking languages in Dane County and providing translation tools and pay incentives for deputies with language skills, according to the Dane County Sheriff’s Office.
The department emphasizes community-focused goals such as building public trust and reducing recidivism through initiatives such as jail diversion programs, according to information posted on the Dane County Sheriff’s Office website. A Feb. 2024 Dane County Sheriff’s Office press release also said the department would pilot body-worn cameras, which are intended to increase transparency and engagement with the community.
Voters in Dane County will have the opportunity to evaluate Barrett’s record in office and his stated priorities for a second term as the election approaches.
