Goals & objectives as Your sheriff
A Sheriff that Stands for YOU
- Aggressively combat narcotic dealers with an operational tempo unprecedented in Bureau County
- Assign one or more deputies to federal task forces to serve as a force multiplier, leveraging federal asset forfeiture programs to generate funding for investigations and equipment at no cost to the taxpayer
- Utilize federal courts to prosecute local offenders when appropriate, securing federal funding to support jail operations and offset the challenges created by the horrendous no-cash-bail policy
- Reinstate the Bureau County Sheriff’s Posse as an all-volunteer search-and-rescue team, as well as a mentoring program for community engagement
- Establish a Legal Liaison position—funded through the drug enforcement account—to assist the State’s Attorney in achieving faster, more efficient prosecutions
- Expand training for deputies to reduce liability risks and build confidence within the department
- Create an Intelligence Officer position at no additional cost to the taxpayers who coordinates, tracks and strategically targets criminal activity
- Increase patrol coverage in rural areas frequently targeted by thieves
- Appoint a Media Officer to maintain transparent, open and timely communication with both the press and the public
"I will use the Office of the Sheriff as a strong and visible platform to advocate for your concerns and safeguard your constitutional rights."
Edward Jauch
Learn more about Edward
A Life Dedicated to Service
I began my career in public service in 1988 as a correctional officer with the Illinois Department of Corrections, before becoming a police officer in 1990 and joining the Spring Valley Police Department the following year.
Over the years, I worked a wide range of assignments, including investigative work that ultimately led to being selected by the FBI to operate undercover within an international criminal organization. That operation resulted in numerous arrests and set the course for the rest of my career.
I was federally deputized by both the FBI and the U.S. Marshals and later served with the Illinois State Police Drug Task Force. When that unit was disbanded, I continued my work combating narcotics trafficking as the deputy commander of the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Narcotics Team, focusing on heroin and other drug-related issues in the Illinois Valley.
During this same period, I was promoted to sergeant with the Spring Valley Police Department and served as a commander on the La Salle County State’s Attorney Felony Enforcement Team.
Throughout my law enforcement career, I have been honored to receive awards from the Spring Valley Police Department, the FBI, the Illinois State Police, and other agencies. I have maintained my federal deputization since 2001 and was granted Top Secret Security Clearance in 2006. My undercover work has also been featured in televised programs including History Channel’s Gangland, a French documentary on outlaw motorcycle gangs, and WGN America’s Outlaw Country.
After retiring from the Spring Valley Police Department in 2015, I spent several years in the private sector before returning to law enforcement in 2022 with the Earlville Police Department, where I am assigned to a task force targeting major drug trafficking organizations and violent cartels. I am currently serving my second term on the Spring Valley City Council as First Ward alderman.
I am proud to share this life with my wife, Dana, our son, Gunnar, who just began his law school journey at Belmont University, and his newly married wife.
