Editor’s note: This is the fourth and final story in a series giving Kosciusko County’s four candidates for sheriff a chance to recap their campaigns.

Chris Rager is embracing a simple approach on the campaign trail, but that doesn’t mean it’s always been smooth.

Leading up to this year’s race for sheriff, the 44-year-old deputy detective watched the career of his longtime friend and boss, Aaron Rovenstine, fall apart in a scandal that some in the community still contend to be much ado about nothing.

When Rager said he learned of accusations against  Rovenstine several years ago, he found the claims to be shocking and out of character.

Rovenstine was accused of misconduct and was eventually forced to resign after pleading to a single felony.

“When he pled to his deal and had to leave, it broke my heart. It did,” Rager said while having breakfast at the Cozy Cottage in Warsaw Thursday morning.

Rovenstine’s exit, though, eventually led him to decide to run for sheriff in an effort to represent the department.

Rager said he supported former two-term sheriff Rocky Goshert when he was chosen last year to fill out Rovenstine’s term, and began considering running himself after Goshert played down any chance he would run for another term in 2018.

Soon after, Rager met with others in the department to see who might want to run. As others contemplated their plans, Rager stepped up and announced his candidacy, only to learn Goshert had changed his mind and would be on the Republican ballot.

By then, he’d already started organizing and spending money on his campaign, so he reached out to Goshert and let him know he planned to remain in the race.

Despite some awkwardness, Rager shows no signs of reget.

“Me and Rocky have been friends for a long time and we’re still friends and we’ll be friends when we’re done,” Rager said.



An Uncommon Campaign

That friendly approach has continued as Rager finds his way in his  first run for public office.

Rager said he’s not a politician and has his own campaign outlook. In a recent debate, Rager tipped his hat to his opponents, saying he would work with whoever is elected, including two other candidates,  Tony Ciriello and Kyle Dukes.

He’s chosen not to campaign door to door because he finds it too intrusive.

That approach has not hindered his ability to gain name recognition and  build an effective yard sign strategy. He estimates that about 99 percent of signs have come from specific requests.

He attributes that to personal relationships in his work as a deputy and a polite,  respectful outlook in life.

He’s also well-known with many people through his decades of work with two youth camps, the Indiana Sheriffs Association youth camp and the Mollenhour Conservation Camp.

His willingness to help people has probably helped in that regard. “I think all the times I’ve treated people nice and respectful caught up to me as far as support.”

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Looking Out For Kids

With a desire to serve the public, the 1991 Warsaw Community High School graduate served in the U.S. Army for four years before returning home.

For a few years, he worked with Warsaw’s park department while also serving as a reserve officer with North Webster Police and joined the police force after the town secured federal funding for his position.

But when the funding expired three years later,  Rager found employment with the sheriff’s department, beginning a 19-year tenure.

During the past five years, Rager has found satisfaction working with county’s drug task force.

He said he enjoys the various aspects of the work, especially the chance to help children who are caught in the middle when their parents are busted.

“My career has always been steered toward kids,” said the former DARE?officer.

He’s especially bothered by the generations of poor parenting that repeat themselves in some families.

“I can’t really believe how some kids have to live in 2018,” Rager said. “It blows my mind.”

Rager said he is more than willing to make sure the children are not being neglected.

“If I can get those kids out of there – even for a little bit – it’s a win, for me anyway.”



Policy Outlook

Rager disagrees with those who suggest the county’s drug task force should be combined with the city of Warsaw’s drug task force.

Rager said he thinks both can operate separately as long as there is good communication on both sides.

“There are plenty of drugs in Warsaw that they can have their own task force – they can stay plenty busy.”

Otherwise, when it comes to policy initiatives, Rager taking a conservative approach.

He said he thinks good leaders need to rely on the foot soldiers and others directly involved to understand any need for changes.

He downplays talk that the department has not been sufficiently cooperative of other agencies in the county.

Rager said he thinks there is good cooperation among officers of various departments, a topic that some in the campaign have turned into an issue.

“There has never, ever been a town in this county that has not had police access,” Rager said.

“If the Mentone chief is at home and in bed and a call comes, we take it. We don’t call them and say, ‘Hey, you got a barking dog, you better get up and get your clothes on.”

Disputes among law enforcement leaders might exist, but that is not reflected among officers.

“We don’t always get along, but we still have to work together.”

Asked about friction between the city of Warsaw and the county – on a scale of 1 to 5 with five being major, Rager gives it a 1.

He said it would be an honor to serve, and his outlook – if elected –  is simple: “Be flexible enough to work with everybody and do what’s best for the citizens of Kosciusko County.”