Officer Scott J. Szydel promises to prioritize youth, mental health and interdepartmental cooperation as county sheriff

This is the beginning of a series on the candidates for Kewaunee County Sheriff.

KEWAUNEE COUNTY – Officer Scott Szydel announced his campaign for Kewaunee County Sheriff on Jan. 23. In his announcement, he stated:

“Over the past 26 years, I have had the privilege of working alongside and learning from outstanding Chiefs and Sheriffs who have helped make Kewaunee County a great place to live. In addition to my law enforcement experience, I am a proud member of the Kewaunee Fire Department and previously served for many years with the Kewaunee County SWAT team and the Kewaunee Rescue Squad.”

Szydel has a bachelor’s degree in sociology from UW-Stevens Point and a police science certificate from Mid-State Technical College. He has been a police officer since 1999, worked with the Kewaunee Fire Department since 2000 and been a school resource officer for over 10 years. Szydel also spent about eight years working with Kewaunee Rescue, but stepped back to focus on his family and other law enforcement roles. His current role with the fire department is that of fire safety officer, meaning he presents to schools and businesses about fire safety and emergency planning.

Szydel said his role as school safety officer at Kewaunee High School varies greatly from much of his other law enforcement experience.

“It’s very challenging. There’s a lot of different dynamics to it. There’s a lot of different kids behavior levels, and I think that’s back where it helps having my degree in sociology that helps me relate to those individuals. Everybody has different dynamics in their life, and I think my education and my training and everything has really helped me prepare for that role.”

Szydel is also a Gang Resistance Education And Training (GREAT) instructor, a 12-week program where he says students are encouraged to better their community.

“The challenges today are way tougher for kids,” Szydel said. “There’s a lot of dangers. Social media out there right now is horrible for children.”

His personal investment in time with youth is directly related to his greater vision for the county, Szydel said. He plans to focus on youth safety and mental health, equipping the community with the tools needed to recognize danger and ask for help.

“Bad things are going to happen to children, unfortunately. But if the children have that good relationship with a police officer, they might be willing to talk or ask questions like, ‘Hey, I have a problem. Can you help me?’ That’s my biggest priority if I’m elected as sheriff.”

“I’ve been a member of the fire department, I’ve been part of the rescue squad, and I really want to strengthen our partnerships between law enforcement, firefighters, EMTs and first responders,” Szydel said. “We need to be prepared, and we need to work together.”

On why Kewaunee County citizens should vote for him, Szydel stated, “From college till now, I’ve had a lot of training experiences in all those areas, and I think those are all crucial points that we need to focus on as a community. That’s why I believe I’m the best candidate for Sheriff for Kewaunee County.”