Tama County Sheriff's Deputy Casey Schmidt.

As a candidate for Sheriff in beautiful Tama County, I know how important it is to be connected with the ones you serve. Although I did not grow up in Tama County, I have strong connections here. My great-grandmother Blanche (Sevcik) Rebik was born in Carroll Township, near Vining, with her parents, Joseph and Mary (Podhajsky) Sevcik. In speaking with numerous genealogy buffs in the area, I have been learning more about my connections with Tama County and the distant relatives in my family. My grandparents, Virgil and Patricia Schmidt, lived in Traer for many years. I never thought I would “wind up” working in the same county I have such fond memories of. I don’t think that is a coincidence either.

I was born in Des Moines where I lived for two years before moving to Plymouth, Minnesota. I spent most of my childhood there before moving to Libertyville, Illinois, two weeks before my freshman year of high school. My parents still live in Libertyville and are my connection to see the greatest baseball team ever, the Chicago Cubs!

After high school, I attended Iowa State University and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (Criminal Justice and Criminology). During my time at Iowa State, I was blessed with an opportunity to conduct my internship with the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office on the Treasure Coast of Florida. I had the opportunity to see, learn, and work in almost all the departments the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office has to offer. The experience and exposure to a large sheriff’s office operation gave me operational ideas, as well as different leadership concepts to tailor to a small agency.

I started my law enforcement career with the Meskwaki Nation Police Department and graduated from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy in November 2010. I also had the opportunity to start and operate the Meskwaki Nation Probation Office until l was hired by Sheriff Kucera full-time in September 2013. While working for the Meskwaki Nation Probation Office, I was a part-time Deputy Sheriff for Tama County, patiently waiting for a full-time spot to open.

My time with the Tama County Sheriff’s Office has been spent on patrol, with the added benefit of having a four-legged partner, K9 Tyson, with me since June of 2018. I have worked mainly nights up until the beginning of last year when I made the jump to day shift. The Tama County Sheriff’s Office is a small agency with very limited specialty positions. While investigator spots can specialize in certain cases, I have had to learn, investigate, and diligently fight for victims of a wide range of crimes. Being on patrol has allowed me to hone my skills on not just a select set of crimes, but a vast majority.

Extensive firsthand experience and knowledge gained from being on patrol have contributed to my effective decision-making in large, complex stress-filled situations. Being on patrol has allowed me to connect with businesses, community members, and the general public for many years. This has built community trust, allowing me to have a better understanding of what the community is saying and needing.

I get asked a lot about why I want to be Sheriff. While I did not grow up here, I have moved my family to Tama County because of a job I love to do. My wife Cady, my three kids, and I have created and built a foundation in Tama County that we continue to build on. I know that building relationships and community trust will make Tama County safer. I have strong feelings about holding people accountable, especially those who commit crimes in Tama County, and I am not scared to stand up and be the voice for their victims. I want to be Sheriff because I want what families, residents, and visitors of Tama County want: a Sheriff’s Office that they can trust, depend on, and be proud of.

I will have more to come so stay tuned!

Casey Schmidt

Dysart