Collier to run for sherrif

?Lieutenant Dan Collier of the Henry County Sheriff’s Office announced his candidacy for the office of Henry County Sheriff Monday morning, June 1. The announcement was made on the east side, outside stairway, of the Henry County Courthouse. Collier plans to run in the Republic primary to be held in February of next year.

Collier is a 29-year veteran supervisor on second shift patrol with the Henry County Sheriff’s office. He started as a deputy sheriff in 1980 and was promoted to the rank of sergeant, then lieutenant and currently oversees the patrol division of the Sheriff’s office. “I have also served and assisted throughout the Sheriff’s office, including assisting with our department’s yearly budget issues,” he said.

Collier was voted Officer of the Year by his colleagues of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 206 and was honored to be chosen by the judges of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit as the recipient of the 28th Annual Criminal Justice Award presented for “Above and Beyond Performance in Assisting Others both in the Criminal Justice System and the Community.”

Collier was the only deputy sheriff to ever be selected for this prestigious award.

“I am the person who authored, developed, implemented and assisted in the adminstration of the Henry County Sheriff’s Business Plan that has brought over $6.5 million in of out-of-county money into Henry County by housing out-of-county inmates,” he said. “In the future I want to floor and develop other plans to bring in revenue to the county.”

Collier said he is a graduate of Rock Island High School, attended John A. Logan College and graduated from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. He has also received hundreds of hours of continuing education while employed at the Henry County Sheriff’s office. He was also a certified instructor for the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, Mobile Team Unit No. 4, East Moline.

“As Sheriff I plan to work with the county board. We have a very good county board and we need to improve communication with them,” Collier said, adding he is also proud of the dedicated staff at the Sheriff’s Department. 

“As Sheriff I will also be dedicated to saving tax dollars in a respectful method and I have other plans to raise revenue that would not burden the taxpayer.”

Collier feels the county needs to get back to basics and prioritize many issues and responsibilities at the Sheriff’s Department. “I know where change needs to take place. I’m out there every night and I see what needs to be done in the county. I don’t sit in an office — I’m out there with the people of Henry County,” he said.

With the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) on the decline nationally, Collier said he would like to implement something similar to that program for young people, hoping to work with both church and school to coordinate a program that would benefit kids.

 “I’ve been here, I’ve seen it all and I know what needs to be done. No on-the-job training necessary,” Collier said when explaining the reasons for his candidacy for Henry County Sheriff.

“It’s now time to put that knowledge to work in the county. I love Henry County and the people living here.”