Republican Dave Marshak of Festus is seeking a third four-year term as Jefferson County sheriff. He is being challenged by fellow Republican Colin Rumpsa of Arnold. With no opponent in November, the winner of the primary will be the sheriff.
The Jefferson County sheriff is paid a $156,214 annual salary.
Marshak, 53, of Festus is the current Jefferson County sheriff. He is married to Jenny. He has a bachelor’s degree in human resource management and a master’s degree in communications with emphasis in training and development from Lindenwood University. He completed an FBI National Academy session with graduate work from University of Virginia. He also completed graduate coursework at St. Louis University including medicolegal death investigations.
Dave Marshak
Rumpsa, 57, of Arnold is currently a security consultant with Campbell Security Group. He is married to Anita and they have four children and three grandchildren. He has completed more than 80 hours at Webster University.
Colin Rumpsa
What experience do you have (elected office, civic organizations, volunteer work, etc.) that might serve you well in this position?
Marshak: Prior to being elected sheriff, I worked my way through the department ranks for 22 years learning every facet of the organization from deputy to rank of captain. The experience provided me with the advantages of understanding the larger mission, and how decisions in one division impacted the others. I volunteer with several organizations, but my favorite is teaching free CCW courses. I’m a member of the Twin City Rotary, and the Festus/Crystal City Elks.
Rumpsa: I have over 26 years of law enforcement experience. I am an active Elk member and volunteer at Holy Family Catholic Church.
Outside of the office’s budget, what is the most pressing law enforcement issue facing Jefferson County? How would you address it?
Marshak: Recruitment, retention, and training continue to be the priorities. We have recently yielded success with the jeffcohero.com videos and landing site. We have prioritized investing in employee wellness, training, and working with the executive branch for competitive compensation packages for our employees. Another issue is how we will balance new technology with individual liberties and privacy. With the technology revolution of AI, law enforcement will soon have access to more information so we must implement audits and oversight to manage individual protections and our citizens’ right to privacy.
Rumpsa: Officer retention. I would treat all officers fair, let them know they are part of a team.
A crime lab is being built in Jefferson County. What other improvements to facilities, equipment and technology would you like to see over the next four years?
Marshak: The lab is a necessity as our current lab won’t test many of the DNA samples that will yield suspect identification and our turnaround time on other cases can be as long as 13 months. Our success will be attributed to investing in the right scientists, equipment, technology, and processes to earn accreditation. Without that, we have a new building, but not a crime lab. In the last few years, we upgraded many facilities for the benefit of the community and the officers. We will continue to leverage technology to work smarter and to police in a precision way.
Rumpsa: The jail should be renovated and added on to. It should have been before the lab and the station we don’t need.
Law enforcement agencies have reported having trouble hiring qualified officers. What steps would you take to improve retention and recruitment of officers?
Marshak: Employers around the country share the same challenges, and law enforcement is not immune from those same issues. Unfortunately, exit interviews reveal officers are leaving the profession because they don’t want to work nights, weekends, or holidays. They want a better quality of life. Many learn it’s a stressful job with risk so it’s not for everyone. However, we have yielded success from investing in employees, increasing pay, improving wellness programs, and incentivizing the corrections officer to policing pipeline. We listen to our employees, learn from them, and try to incorporate as many of their ideas as possible.
Rumpsa: Visit the technical schools, offer jobs in our jail at 18 years of age. When they turn 21, I will put them through Jeffco Academy.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Marshak: I’m running for sheriff again, not out of vengeance, but for my love of this community. I work hard to ensure we have a safe county and a workforce prepared for the challenges we face. I prepared myself for the position by doing the work to ensure I had the education, experience and trust that this position requires. My work ethic is unquestionable, and with me, you know you get open honest communication. I’m politely asking voters to vote for me because temperament, character, integrity, and professionalism matter when a sheriff is elected to represent Jefferson County.
Rumpsa: ■ Transparency body cameras.
■ No more taxes.
■ Keep Jeffco money in Jeffco not St. Charles.
■ Use bonds for the jail.
