Candidate Wants End to Sheriff’s ‘Friends & Family Plan’

By Joseph Hosey

The latest Democrat to announce his candidacy for Will County sheriff took a shot at the current administration's hiring practices.

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"We need to cut wasteful spending and use that revenue to give the deputies more resources to do their job," said Steve Egan, a lieutenant with the sheriff's department.

"We need more deputies on the street and less sitting behind desks in cushy jobs that have become known as the 'friends and family plan of hiring,'" Egan said.

Current Sheriff Paul Kaupas' daughter Jana Schaeffer is an administrative worker with the sheriff's department. Her husband, Brett Schaeffer, is a lieutenant with the department.

in 2010, Kaupas hired his cousin, Ken Kaupas, onto the department as a spokesman. He later promoted Ken Kaupas to the position of deputy chief. Ken Kaupas previously said he intends to succeed his cousin as sheriff.

Egan joins Will County Sheriff's Sgt. Mike Kelley on the Democratic ballot. Kaupas and retired Deputy Chief Nick Ficarello have announced as Republican candidates. 

Egan made his comments about the sheriff's hiring practices while publicly announcing his intention to run for sheriff Thursday. He was joined at the Will County Law Enforcement Memorial outside the courthouse by former Frankfort Police Chief Darrell Sanders and current Braidwood Police Chief Rich Girot. Both Girot and Sanders previously ran for sheriff.

Joliet City Councilman Larry Hug and a number of police officers also turned out to support Egan.

Egan previously ran for sheriff himself. In the last election he threw his hat in the ring as a Republican. He explained Thursday that he did not want to run against Girot in the primary and also wanted to challenge incumbent Paul Kaupas, who was running unopposed as a Republican.

Egan said he does not believe switching parties will negatively impact his campaign "because first, we're cops, not party politicians."

In his speech Thursday, Egan emphasized his long and varied career in law enforcement.

"In short, I'm not a politician. I'm a cop," he said. "These guys standing around with me today get it. These are cops from around the county who know what it means to police, not to politick."