K-9 officer looks to expand horizons
Greg BurghardtLaw-breaking students in Isabella County may be seeing a familiar face after next year’s sheriff elections.
Sgt. Leo Mioduszewski of the CMU Police will be on the ballot for Isabella County Sheriff. Current Sheriff Barry DeLau said he plans to retire after his fourth four-year term is over.
Mioduszewski said he thought now would be a good time for him to run, because DeLau is retiring.
“I had a group of individuals ask me to consider running,” he said.
Mioduszewski said he has been in law enforcement for 18 1/2 years, working at CMU for 12 1/2 of those years.
In addition to his duties as a sergeant, where he supervises road patrols and community policing, Mioduszewski said he developed and implemented CMU Police’s K-9 program in 1998. Lizzy, the dog for which he raised $45,000 to buy and train, comes home with Mioduszewski every night, so she stays familiar with her handler.
“When she gets home, she’s like a pet — I have two young sons, and they play with her in the yard and things like that,” he said.
He also is the Isabella County Emergency Services Team hostage negotiator. In this capacity, it was Mioduszewski who worked to subdue Thomas Wendt, who shot three people in the Isabella County Courthouse parking lot, then fled to his home in Weidman and barricaded himself inside March 5, 2002. Shortly before the Wendt incident, Mioduszewski said, there was another incident which he effectively diffused.
“Both situations were resolved with out anyone getting hurt,” he said.
In addition to his law enforcement career, Mioduszewski has owned and operated Lasting Impressions Photography, 5115 E. Valley Road, for 17 years.
Mioduszewski said it is important for the sheriff to have a good business background, because budgets will be tight in the near future.
“You’re dealing with human resources, hiring and working with people, so I do think (the business experience) will come into play with budget and personnel issues.”
DeLau, however, said it is the undersheriff who deals with both discipline and budget issues. The sheriff’s main responsibilities, he said, include keeping the jail, dealing with drowned bodies and the marine patrol and civil processes, as well as community-relations functions.
“The sheriff attends a lot of parades — everybody wants the sheriff in their parades. I go to a lot of ribbon-cutting ceremonies. (It’s) pretty much what you’d expect a sheriff to do,” he said.
Mioduszewski said there aren’t many things he would change if he is elected.
“The Sheriff’s Department is in pretty good shape” he said. “Right now they’re down on the number of deputies on the road. I’d like to try to get a couple more deputies out there, so people don’t have to wait so long when they call for an officer.”
Mioduszewski also said he would like to implement a K-9 unit for the Sheriff’s office.
