WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — New Marathon County Sheriff Chad Billeb says his first few months on the job will come with finding ways to solve the current hiring crunch for his department’s support staff.
“We’ve struggled to find qualified candidates to work in our jail and 911 center,” said Billeb. “We’ve made some small strides, but there is more work to be done. I think some of the other challenges we have around staffing will become evident to the community if we can’t make big changes.”
Billeb knows the issue isn’t unique to Marathon County or even the law enforcment industry but that doesn’t make the situation less urgent.
Billeb, who officially took the oath of office on Tuesday, says he also wants to focus on mental health resources and substance abuse. Thost topics have been at the center for him since he started with the department in the 1990s. “You don’t have to look hard into some old media stories to see how passionate I am about mental health and substance abouse. I think there is a lot of work left on the table that needs to be done, and I want to be the person to lead that and make those changes.”
RELATED: Marathon County Welcomes New Sheriff
Tuesday’s ceremony was preceded by a press briefing on a shooting incident in the Town of Elderon during which Billeb praised the work of the officers who couldn’t attend because they were working the scene.
Billeb succedes Scott Parks in the role after he ran unopposed for the position in the November election.
