Gary Hamblin, the incumbent Republican candidate in the Dane County sheriff’s race, said when students are voting in the upcoming election they should look to the candidate with the most experience. With 35 years in law enforcement and five years as Dane County sheriff under his belt, Hamblin is certainly experienced.
After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Hamblin worked with the Division of Criminal Investigations for the Wisconsin Department of Justice for 29 years. He was elected as Dane County sheriff in 1997 and has been serving the county since then.
During Hamblin’s time as sheriff, he has worked to interrupt different crime trends within the county.
Hamblin believes domestic violence is a serious issue in Dane County.
“Statistics show that children who are raised in violent homes are more likely to be abusive in their adult relationships,” Hamblin said. “We need to break this cycle of violence.”
Hamblin also sees drug use as a common problem among high school- and college-age students. He stated that one of the most disturbing trends in drug abuse was an increased use of heroin by high school students.
Hamblin believes one way to improve the safety and health of Dane County residents is to improve and instigate relationships with law-enforcement officials.
Since his time in office, Hamblin has assigned each deputy to a specific area within the county. He believes that by doing this the deputy’s presence will be more welcomed and therefore more productive within each area.
Hamblin pointed to a specific incident in which a deputy was patrolling his area and decided to visit an elderly man with a history of bad health. When the deputy found him, the elderly man had already suffered a mild stroke and was extremely disoriented. If the deputy had not been in the area, the man could have seriously injured himself or others.
David Kammel, a friend of Hamblin and a professor in the University of Wisconsin biological systems engineering department, said Hamblin would be a good choice for UW students because he has college-age children and can understand what college students are going through.
“Hamblin is a man of character,” Kammel said. “He fights for what he believes will make Dane County a safer place to live.”
Although Hamblin said his opponent, Adam Benedetto, is a nice person, he believes he is not a good candidate because of his inexperience in law enforcement and administration. Hamblin believes UW students are responsible adults and important members of the community who have a vested interest in law enforcement.
“We (the Dane County Sheriff’s Office) ensure safety in the city of Madison and Dane County,” Hamblin said. “Students should choose the candidate with most experience who will continue to provide a safe place to live.”
