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Trojanowicz: Ingham sheriff candidate touts 25 years of experience

Eric Trojanowicz photo
Scott Pohl
/
WKAR
Ingham County Sheriff's Department Captain Eric Trojanowicz is a Republican candidate for Sheriff.

We talk with one of the candidates for Sheriff in Ingham County this year. Eric Trojanowicz is a captain in the department. He’s running as a Republican to replace the retiring Sheriff, Gene Wrigglesworth, and his opponent is the Sheriff’s son, Scott Wrigglesworth.

The Ingham County Sheriff’s Department will find itself under new leadership next year.

Gene Wriggelsworth is retiring after serving 28 years in the position.

His son, Scott Wriggelsworth, hopes to keep the job in the family as the Democratic candidate in this November’s election. He is currently a lieutenant in the East Lansing Police Department.

Opposing the younger Wriggelsworth is Eric Trojanowicz, a captain in the Ingham County Sheriff’s Department.

Trojanowicz, running as a Republican, joined Current State to discuss his candidacy.

“I feel that what I’ve done at the sheriff’s office has prepared me to take over as Sheriff of Ingham County,” says Trojanowicz.

Trojanowciz is currently in charge of the day-to-day operations of the field division, and also the corrections division.

“I’ve worked at the sheriff’s office for 25 years – so I know the inner workings,” says Trojanowicz. “I’ve been a supervisor in every division of the office.”

He is also aware of the tumultuous climate surrounding law enforcement in the United States.

Trojanowicz supports the usage of body cameras on officers, citing a greater need for transparency.

“I think [body cameras] are a good trend,” says Trojanowicz. “It has worked to our benefit – we’ll review video from time to time just to make sure officers are doing the right thing.”

Body camera use has also cut down on officer complaints in Ingham County, according to Trojanowicz.

“When someone wants to call and complain about the demeanor or behavior of an officer…they kind of change their tune when you tell them the whole thing was on video,” says Trojanowicz.

Increased opioid abuse in the Lansing area – especially heroin - is another challenge that Trojanowicz’s office is dealing with.

“We have Narcan in every one of our patrol cars, which can bring someone back from a heroin overdose,” says Trojanowicz.

Narcan is the commercial name for the drug, naloxone. It is an emergency treatment of opioid abuse, and has saved two or three lives in the past couple months alone, according to Trojanowicz.

Still, the opioid issue remains – and Trojanowicz has one idea for how to fix it.

“As everyone knows, we’ve taken a huge hit when it comes to the budget,” says Trojanowicz. “We used to put six to eight cars on the road.  Now we’re lucky to put out one or two.”

Trojanowicz points out that many of the drugs seized by the department are from traffic stops.

“We’re not putting cars out there, so we aren’t running into the drug suppliers like we used to,” says Trojanowicz. “I feel more road patrol on the street will help us contain the drug issue.”

What else does Trojanowiz want voters to consider when choosing a new Ingham County Sheriff this year?

“I think the sheriff’s office should be earned and not inherited,” says Trojanowicz. “I’m trustworthy, loyal and have served the citizens of Ingham County for over 25 years.”

Article by Ethan Merrill, Current State intern

Scott Pohl is a general assignment news reporter and produces news features and interviews. He is also an alternate local host on NPR's "Morning Edition."
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