The primary elections have been contested, won and lost, and St. Joseph County prepares to elect its next sheriff. Voters will zero in on public safety, crime rates and community confidence. Yet one of the most crucial credentials for contemporary law enforcement scarcely appears in campaign slogans: a trauma-informed perspective to policing.
In 2026, the job of sheriff is no longer restricted to enforcing laws and overseeing jail. The next sheriff must know they will be the chief administrator of the county’s largest mental-health focal point, crisis responder and community bridge-builder. To succeed, they must understand trauma, how it influences behavior, fuels crisis and guides interactions with law enforcement. To his credit, the current sheriff is leaving behind footprints of established precedent where none dare trod before him. Sheriff William Redman’s leadership in navigating poverty, homelessness, crime and incarceration and mental health and addictions merits more than our collective standing ovation.
Across the country, jails have become the largest providers of mental health services. St. Joseph County is no exception. Deputies repeatedly encounter people experiencing substance use disorders, domestic violence trauma, childhood abuse and neglect, homelessness and persistent stress, and acute psychiatric crises. Many of these individuals are not “criminals first,” but simply people whose trauma has collided with the legal system.
When law enforcement is not trauma sensitive, routine encounters can escalate quickly. What appears as defiance and aggression may be trepidation. What seems like non-compliance may be dissociation or cognitive overload. A trauma-informed sheriff will recognize this difference and commit to training deputies to respond accordingly.
Trauma is neither an isolated nor is it a soft issue. It is a public safety issue. Research consistently shows that untreated trauma is strongly linked to higher rates of substance use, increased domestic violence, repeat justice involvement, difficulty complying with court orders and increased risk of violent victimization and offending. Ignoring trauma does not make communities safer, but addressing it does. A trauma-informed sheriff understands that reducing repeat calls, lowering jail populations and preventing crime and violence requires addressing the root causes of behavior, not just the behavior itself.
This approach does not mean deputies stop enforcing the law. It means they enforce the law more effectively and safely. A trauma-informed sheriff would prioritizecrisis response training. Deputies instructed in de-escalation and mental health crisis responses reduce injuries, lawsuits and use-of-force occurrences. Partnerships with mental health providers will be preferred since co-response teams pairing deputies with clinicians help reroute people from jail to treatment when appropriate.
Jail reform must continue to occupy a higher echelon for Redman’s successor. A trauma-informed jail focuses on suicide prevention, substance withdrawal management, reentry planning and reducing isolation and unwarranted use of force. This reduces recidivism, improves safety for staff and incarcerated individuals alike and decreases staff burn-out and compassion fatigue.
I would be negligent not to mention that trauma affects law enforcement as well. Deputies exposed to violence, death and crisis face high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder, burnout and suicide. A trauma-informed sheriff supports officer mental health, which leads to better decision-making and safer policing.
It is no exaggeration to state that public trust in law enforcement is modeled by daily interactions. Residents tend to remember whether deputies listened, de-escalated and treated people with dignity. All local communities expect professionalism, compassion, accountability and transparency. A trauma-informed sheriff meets these expectations while still prioritizing safety, well-being and enforcement. This is not a political stance, but a professional standard increasingly adopted nationwide.
Trauma-informed practices are both humane and fiscally responsible. They help reduce repeat arrests and jail stays, long-term incarceration costs, lawsuits and liability payouts, staff turnover and overtime and emergency room transfers. Investing in prevention and smart response is a proven formular for saving taxpayer money.
The next sheriff will not only inherit a profession in transition, but an office that has transcended the conventional call to duty under Redman, who has adroitly juggled keeping the county safe and mitigating COVID and a mental health pandemic. The community no longer expects a “tough on crime” approach alone. Residents expect a sheriff who is smart on crime, understands why people enter the justice system and how to keep them from returning.
Voters must look beyond uniformed service (thanks for their service) but appraise the candidates on their understanding of the role trauma plays in public health and safety. The choices made will shape the trajectory of crime, security, justice, trust and communal well-being of the county for years to come.
Henry Mudari is a crisis coordinator and social worker (mental health and addictions) with the St Joseph County Police Department Crisis Services Unit. He is also an associate professor at Indiana University South Bend in the School of Social Work. The views and opinions he expresses are his own and do not represent the Police Department.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: The job of sheriff includes understanding trauma | Opinion
Reporting by Henry Mudari, Guest columnist / South Bend Tribune
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