OTTAWA — Interest in the Putnam County Sheriff position drew a fourth competitor as Capt. Brian Siefker, a longtime employee with the department, threw his hat into the ring Tuesday.
Siefker, 45, has been with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office for 23 years. He was promoted to captain in March 2014. He currently oversees road patrol and the part-time deputies at the department.
Siefker felt the department needed improved communication with other organizations and that the heroin and opiate epidemic in the county needed more aggressive attention. He pointed out that those were two of the primary reasons he decided to run for the office. Siefker said he spoke with the current sheriff, Mike Chandler, and informed him of his decision to run for the office. Chandler is also seeking the position.
“I discussed it with the sheriff and told him my concerns,” Siefker said. “I wanted him to know why I was running. I didn’t feel like the department was making progress in those areas.”
Siefker said he felt the office needed to communicate more positively with the media and other identities, such as township boards, villages and the county commissioners. He said he felt the department was currently lacking somewhat in those areas.
Siefker added that morale has been bad around the office.
“We recently had two dispatchers leave,” Siefker said. “We have had several people leave from he jail. It has always been a a goal of mine to be county sheriff, and I feel like it is the right time.”
Columbus Grove Police Chief Nick Gilgenbach has also filed papers for the position, setting a three-person race in the Republican primary March 15. Leipsic Police Chief Dennis Cupp has also filed as an independent and will face the primary winner in next year’s November election.
Siefker, of Glandorf, is a Marine Corps veteran. He has three children ages 6, 10 and 12.
