Mendrick Wins DuPage County Sheriff GOP Nomination

WHEATON, IL —Patrol Commander James Mendrick defeated Undersheriff Frank Bibbiano by a wide margin Tuesday and will go on to face off against Democrat Greg Whalen, who was unchallenged in the primaries, according to unofficial results from DuPage County. Mendrick, a Woodridge resident and 22-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Department, has worked alongside Bibbiano for years.

Mendrick won the support of 39,198 voters, giving him a sizable advantage over Bibbiano, who had 25, 748 votes.

Prior to the election, Bibbiano landed current Sheriff John E. Zaruba's endorsement, but Mendrick had garnered the support of deputy's unions and DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin.

On his campaign Facebook page, Mendrick thanked voters and gave a nod to his opponent, Undersheriff Frank Bibbiano.

He added, "Running for an elected office, especially county wide, is a life consuming endeavor. For that reason, I wish to pay compliments to my opponent, Frank Bibbiano, for having the courage to run in this primary race. It's time to unify and move forward. "

Both candidates had similar views on gun control and the opioid crisis as important issues facing the Sheriff's Department.

Bibbiano had stated that he discouraged deputies from contributing money or time to his campaign because they have "better things to be concerned about than my campaign," he told the League of Women Voters.

Here's a quick look at both of the candidates.

Patrol Commander James Mendrick

Bio: Lives in Woodridge, 30-year resident of DuPage County, attended Downers Grove South

Education: Studied Criminal Justice at Lewis University, completed School of Police Staff & Command at Northwestern University

Experience: Hired as Patrol Deputy with Sheriff's Office in 1996, promoted to Sergeant in 2001, Promoted to Major in 2004, promoted to Administrative Bureau Chief in 2006, requested to return to Patrol Commander "for family reasons" in 2011

Community Involvement: Area chair for Downers Grove Township Republican Organization (DGTRO) 2015-present, Committeeman for precinct 126 (2010-present), DGTRO committeeman (2002-2010)

Gun Control: Recommends closer relationship between schools and law enforcement, more advanced security technology to protect schools and alert officers more quickly, supports early intervention for students who may be at risk

At the League of Women Voters Forum, Mendrick addressed the prevalence of 3-D printed guns and said, "I would start there with completely unregulated gun use."
Mental Health Training: "As the father of an autistic son, this is a really important topic to me," Mendrick told the League of Women Voters forum. He said he supports ongoing community training and assistance with development and affordable housing to "make sure [people with mental health issues] aren't just being sunk into the jail system."
Sheriff's budget: Stated that the sheriff is the "ultimate authority to develop and manage budget by using recommendations responsibly" at League of Women Voters forum
Recreational Marijuana: Supports looking deeper into funding sources; He said, "no matter what your stance is on marijuana, you don't want people driving high." He added, "I would hate to see the taxpayers foot the bill for training and overtime"for officers needed to respond to these DUIs

Undersheriff Frank Bibbiano

Bio: Lives in Elmhurst, 26-year resident of DuPage County

Education: Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with emphasis in local government from Northern Illinois University

Experience: Undersheriff since 2017, Began in Corrections Bureau in 1999, became detective in 2006, Promoted to Staff Sergeant in 2010, Promoted to Colonel in 2016

Community Involvement: Member of National Association for Down Syndrome and Gigi’s Playhouse, York Township Republican Organization Precinct Committeeman, Boy Scout leader, volunteer at Accessible Hearts Ministry at the Faith Evangelical Methodist Church of Elmhurst

Gun Control: Recommends more intensive police training for active shooter incidents; "I do not own an assault weapon, however I strongly believe in the U.S. Constitution and I strongly believe in the 2nd amendment," Bibbiano said at the League of Women Voters Forum.

Mental Health Training: Supports expanding current program that follows up on critical incidents and partnering with the DuPage County Health Department and State's Attorney's Office for potential jail diversion for "minor, non-violent crimes"

Sheriff's budget: Stresses the importance of police budget in lowering taxes; Believes sheriff should personally present budget

"I am the only candidate who has actually managed the entire budget process and presented it to the board," he told the League of Women Voters

Recreational Marijuana: If marijuana is legalized for recreational use in Illinois, Bibbiano said he is concerned about "what else does that bring into a community and how is that affecting a community," adding that it's urgent to address the opioid crisis and "how those people came to be addicted to drugs in the first place."

>>>Image credit: James Mendrick for Sheriff