Jefferson County Sheriff Dave Marshak has announced that he will run for a third four-year term in the Republican Party’s primary election on Aug. 6.
Marshak, 53, was first elected sheriff in 2016 after working for the Sheriff’s Office for 19 years.
He succeeded Glenn Boyer, who retired after 24 years as sheriff.
Marshak said he’s running again to continue modernizing the Sheriff’s Office.
“There are a lot of good projects in progress,” he said. “I think we’re in the best position to accomplish our goals.”
Marshak said he has improved the operations at the Sheriff’s Office.
“We have delivered on all of our commitments to incorporate technology to work more efficiently, reduce response times through GPS in cars, create a mental health crisis response unit, purchase needed equipment for officers and at the same time increase the median salaries by 52 percent since 2018,” he said.
He credited voters for approving Proposition P, a 35-cent property tax for law enforcement, in April 2018, that allowed several of the improvements.
“I want to continue to equip and prepare our officers for all that we face, whatever that looks like, investing in proper equipment and training, while at the same time, holding bad cops accountable.”
Marshak said under his watch, the deputy roster has increased by 20.
He said the Sheriff’s Office has budgeted to have 180 deputies on staff and currently has eight vacancies.
“But for comparison, St. Louis County is down 135 and St. Louis city is down hundreds. The affluent city of Chesterfield has 11 openings for 99 positions. Recruitment continues to be a priority for all law enforcement,” he said.
The Sheriff’s Office has more than 250 total employees, Marshak added.
“My goal continues to make the department better,” he said. “That, in turn, will help our municipal police departments, who depend on the Sheriff’s Office for crime scene evidence processing, for SWAT (special weapons and tactics) operations and other responses when needed. We have the responsibility to do everything we can to make sure all of Jefferson County is safe.”
He said another of his initiatives has paid dividends for county residents, even though few would notice.
“We have taken a businesslike approach to the county jail,” he said. “We have negotiated several contracts to save money, including food service, phone contracts and improving reimbursements from federal contracts.”
Marshak said he’s proud of establishing an evidence building in Pevely and is looking forward to the opening of a forensic crime lab next to that building.
He also cited the replacement of the North Zone satellite office in the Dillon Plaza shopping center in High Ridge and plans to build a new East Zone office on Lions Den Road west of Old Lemay Ferry Road in Imperial as other successes.
The latter is a cooperative effort with the Rock Township Ambulance District. The two entities will share the new building.
“I’m really excited about our partnership with Rock Township for our new substation,” Marshak said.
Marshak earned a bachelor’s degree in human resources management at Lindenwood University and a master’s degree in communications with an emphasis in training and development through Lindenwood and St. Louis University.
Before joining the Sheriff’s Office in 1994, he worked for three years in law enforcement in north St. Louis County.
He and his wife, Jen, live in the Festus area.
The sheriff is paid a $156,214 annual salary.
Filing for the August election runs through March 26.
Colin Rumpsa of Arnold, a former officer with the Sheriff’s Office, has filed for the Republican nomination against Marshak. No Democrats had filed as of March 5, at Leader deadline.