In a cordial debate, four candidates on Tuesday laid out the case for why voters should support them in the upcoming Kosciusko County sheriff’s race.

The 90-minute forum, overseen by the League of Women Voters of North Central Indiana, included a chance for candidates to give a short rebuttal, but that was used only once as candidates refrained for the most part from attacking each other.

Candidates included incumbent, two-term sheriff Rocky Goshert who has about 38 years experience; deputy Chris Rager who has been with the department for about 18 years; coroner Tony Ciriello, who is a longtime former deputy and police chief for Syracuse; and Indiana State Police trooper Kyle Dukes, who has about 19 years of police work.

Dukes set himself apart from the others by casting himself as the outsider who can bring needed change to the department and touted his recent endorsement from seven area police chiefs as well as administrators for the Indiana conservation officers and the state police.

Dukes spoke repeatedly of problems with the department – namely cooperation with other departments. He said he’s been meeting with police chiefs and that they have a common concern.

“There‘s a problem, ladies and gentleman,” Dukes told the crowd of several hundred people at the Warsaw Community High School Performing Arts Center. “There’s no communication going on. That’s has got to change. We have to be a team again. We have to start working together,” he said.

Dukes said he also intends to re-establish a “unified drug task force” that includes the sheriff’s department and Warsaw Police Department working together on drug cases.

While there has been a unified drug task force in the past, a rift between the departments was exposed during the trial of former Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine in 2017.

Dukes was the only candidate to address the scandal head-on and mentioned repeatedly his support from police chiefs.

In his closing remarks, Goshert said he supports the idea of a single drug task force even though he has not worked to establish one since he stepped back into the sheriff’s role last year.

But, he said, there needs to be consistent operating procedures, which has not been the case in recent years.

“The right hand has to be doing the same as the left hand,” he said.

Ciriello and Rager also mentioned the need for a single drug task force.

Dukes also took a shot at Goshert at the end of the debate, suggesting Goshert had changed his mind about running for office after nearly retiring.

Goshert, who was chosen by a Republican caucus to fill out Rovenstine’s remaining term after he resigned last summer, admitted he was close to retiring, but pointed to his comments he made after the caucus indicating he never closed the door.

Goshert said he was encouraged to run by people within the department and was bothered that he saw “a department that was under attack and nobody out there defending them.”

While the other three seemed to make communication a top priority, Goshert described his top concern as the jail itself, which is nearing inmate capacity.

He also touted a proposed in-house drug rehabilitation program he is supporting. At the same time, he added that the “future of the jail is a huge, huge thing that the next person has to take care of and that’s why I’m best qualified.”

Ciriello, who twice described the election as a popularity contest, said the winner will face tough, sometimes unpopular decisions once in office.

He said he has built a resume and career that makes him ready to become a sheriff.



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One question asked how the candidates would work to improve communication and cooperation with other departments.

Goshert said he wants to work with other departments, but noted that they’ve tried holding meetings with other law enforcement agencies. Those, he said, often started as weekly, then monthly and then quarterly.

He stressed an open-door approach and pledged to listen “to see what they have to say.”

Rager said communication is a two-way street that requires listening and that he would work to improve communication.

Dukes said “the sad reality” of the Rovenstine investigation was that it “divided law enforcement” to the point officers were not talking and sharing information, and referred back to his support from other departments.

“They want to be a  team again and work together and communicate,” Dukes said.

Ciriello said he believes rank and file officers get along well in performing their duties,  while adding, “If the chiefs can’t get along, the chiefs can’t get along.”

The rank and file, he added, “Believe me, they get along.”

The candidates were asked about why employes such as jailers, kitchen staff and those who work in work release should support them.

Rager said he would put people into positions that understand the issues.

Dukes said as an outsider, he knows he would have to earn their trust.

Ciriello said he would treat those other parts of the department as if they were family.

Goshert said it is important to listen to the staff and also get a feel for perspective of the inmates to understand the environment.

“That’s how you get a true representation of how it’s going back there,” Goshert said.

Among the many questions, candidates were asked what they would do to improve school security.

Dukes said it underscored the need to work with other departments to develop “a solid game plan.”

Ciriello said he believes area schools already have great plans in place, but need to improve upon that by “keeping a close eye” on developments within the community and watch for telltale signs on social media, through friends or other people “who at least have the guts to say, ‘My friend is not acting right.’”

Goshert touted the benefits of using an app that allows teachers and law enforcement to communicate.

Rager said he wants an armed officer in every school.

“It comes down to is money,” Rager said. “If we can build million-dollar schools, we can pay to have somebody protect the kids.”

Radio station Oldies 101.1 WIOE livestreamed a video of the debate, which can be seen by going to the station’s website, wioe.com. The video will remain online for one week.