2 candidates enter race for Chippewa County Sheriff

CHIPPEWA COUNTY, Wis. (WEAU) -Two candidates have stepped forward so far for the position of Chippewa County Sheriff, including the brother of the current Sheriff.

Travis Hakes is running as a republican. He says his years of experience in law enforcement in Chippewa County, as well as his five years of experience as Chief of Police in Elk Mound helped him establish a relationship with the community.

Also running for the position is a 31-year veteran of the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office, Chris Kowalczyk, brother of current Sheriff Jim Kowalczyk. He’s running as a democrat. He says his implementation of new procedures and tools shows his commitment to the department, and he hopes to continue that growth as sheriff.

“People want somebody who’s going to do the right thing for the right reasons. There’s been some concerns that I’ve heard from people just about different things. One thing that I think I can guarantee is that I’m not running for any personal reason,” Candidate Hakes said.

“Over the years, many people have asked me ‘when are you going to run? Are you going to run for sheriff?’ Honestly, the time is right. I think the time to pass on the torch. I think I’m qualified. My training and experience surly speaks for itself,” Candidate Kowalczyk said.

A new Chippewa County Sheriff will be elected in November.