The election for the next Hamilton County sheriff could become a proxy race between two well-known law enforcement names: former Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter and the current Hamilton County Sheriff Dennis Quakenbush.
Both have made endorsements as the contest to be Hamilton County’s next sheriff grows competitive between two Republican candidates.
John Lowes, chief deputy of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, and Dustin Dixon, a lieutenant with 24 years of experience at the sheriff’s office, are running to replace Quakenbush in the May 5 primary election.
No Democrats or members of other parties have filed to run, with the general election set for Nov. 3.
In a down-ballot race such as this, endorsements could matter said Laura Merrifield Wilson, an associate professor of political science at the University of Indianapolis.
“Voters in local elections may use endorsements as a proxy,” she said. “When it comes to local government elections, more people may know who the person making an endorsement is than the actual candidate.”
Lowes and Dustin are both touting their experiences in law enforcement. In Hamilton County, the sheriff’s office is responsible for managing the county jail and processing inmates, serving protective orders and warrants and executing orders from the county council and board of commissioners.
Sheriffs also have some discretion when it comes to partnering with other law enforcement agencies, such as United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement or regional crime task forces.
Law enforcement leaders, HamCo elected officials weighing in on sheriff election
Lowes has been endorsed by Quakenbush, who is term limited and will conclude his second term in 2026.
“There’s such a contrast between the experience, leadership and skills of the two candidates,” Quakenbush told IndyStar. “John (Lowes) is the only candidate with command-level leadership experience. The sheriff is really the CEO of a large corporation. We need somebody with those kinds of skills to help run an efficient government.”
But Dixon has the endorsement of Carter, a former Hamilton County sheriff and Indiana State Police Superintendent.
“I’ve known Dustin (Dixon) for his entire career,” Carter told IndyStar. “He’s the epitome of a servant leader. It’s just been a pleasure to watch him grow in his career and the next logical step for him is to serve as elected sheriff.”
Carter is also serving as honorary campaign chairman for Dixon’s campaign.
Dixon has racked up endorsements from former Hamilton County Judge Steven Nation as well as Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness and Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen. These endorsements exemplify the relationships Dixon already has with leaders across the county, which are important for maintaining public safety, he says.
Dixon has also been endorsed by the Hamilton County Fraternal Order of Police, which represent sworn officers from the sheriff’s office and other law enforcement agencies in the county.
“It speaks volumes that the folks doing the work every day are supporting me,” Dixon told IndyStar.
This election is not the first time Carter and Quakenbush have been at odds. In 2022, Carter slammed state lawmakers for pursuing constitutional carry legislation and his position was backed by the majority of police agencies, while Quakenbush was one of two sheriffs to speak in favor of the legislation.
Lawmakers eventually got legislation across the finish line that took effect in July 2022 and nixed the requirement of a permit to legally carry a handgun within Indiana.
Who are Dustin Dixon and John Lowes?
Dixon, in his current role as a lieutenant with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, supervises dayshift patrol operations as well as animal control and probation security. In the past, he’s led the agency’s K9 unit and K9 tracking team, worked as a patrol deputy and, in total, has worked for the sheriff’s office for 24 years.
“I have a very wide understanding of how the sheriff’s office operates,” Dixon told IndyStar. “One of the advantages I have is that I’ve literally served on every specialty team we’ve had and held most of the assignments the department has.”
Before the sheriff’s office, Dixon served three years of active duty as a Field Artillery Forward Observer in the U.S. Army in Oklahoma and Texas. He has a degree in criminal justice and criminology from Ball State, where he minored in consumer finance.
He’s also been a partner at a security consultant business for the past 15 years, helping to oversee the business’ budget and manage about 100 employees.
“My opponent is a good man and there’s a good working relationship there, but I’ve had the ability to grow through this agency,” Dixon told IndyStar. “I started as a probationary deputy and through hard work, dedication and integrity, I’ve been able to work various assignments and develop the relationships needed to be sheriff. That’s why I’m the better candidate.”
Lowes also has extensive law enforcement experience in Hamilton County but spent most of his career at the Westfield Police Department before taking on the role of chief deputy at the sheriff’s office when Quakenbush was elected.
Lowes started as a patrol officer in Westfield in 2000 then was promoted through the ranks with the department, ending his time in Westfield as captain of investigations. He worked as a DARE officer, field training officer, drug recognition expert and in crash reconstruction while at the Westfield Police Department.
In his current role at the sheriff’s office, he’s in charge of day-to-day operations.
“I manage approximately 250 men and women who have a track record of keeping Hamilton County one of the safest places to live in the United States,” Lowes told IndyStar.
He has a degree in business management and a graduate certificate in executive police leadership through the Southern Police Institute at the University of Louisville.
“I know what it takes to be an officer on the street all the way through the ranks and seeing the day-to-day operations,” Lowes told IndyStar. “I am the only candidate that has managed an organization of this size, including the people, the budget, the facilities and policies. That experience matters.”
What do the candidates think about the sheriff’s office partnership with ICE?
The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office is one of more than a dozen law enforcement agencies in Indiana that partners with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency as part of the 287(g) program. That partnership began under Quakenbush’s leadership.
Hamilton County participates in the program’s jail enforcement model, which is designed to identify and process undocumented immigrants who are arrested by law enforcement and have pending criminal charges.
Lowes told IndyStar, that if elected, he would continue this practice.
“The people of Hamilton County deserve to know that criminals will not be allowed to hide in the community,” Lowes said. “If they’re committing crimes and here illegally, we will cooperate with ICE on that.”
Dixon told IndyStar that under his leadership, the sheriff’s office would always cooperate with federal partners and that he was keeping an eye on legislation that might change how local law enforcement works with ICE going forward.
“What that role looks like, I can’t say specifically until I am able to have a conversation with them (ICE),” Dixon told IndyStar. “There will be continued cooperation across the board with any federal law enforcement agency though.”
Lowes emphasizes need for new law enforcement tech, while protecting privacy
If he takes over as sheriff, Lowes said one of his focuses would be ensuring that deputies have the tools they need to keep Hamilton County safe, while balancing that with the privacy of residents.
These tools look like drones as first responders, license-plate reading cameras and systems that provide real-time info to police. But it’s important to put policies in place so there’s not overreach as more of these tools become available, Lowes said.
This could look like requiring audits of what deputies are using some tools for, he said.
“The technology when utilized appropriately is a game changer, but at the same time, we cannot use it at the cost of people’s freedom,” Lowes told IndyStar.
He emphasized his commitment to upholding the rights of citizens guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution. Lowes added that if he is elected, the sheriff’s office would become more involved in regional task forces.
Sheriff’s office has to prep for changes, Dixon said
Dixon, if elected, said he’s ready to lead the sheriff’s office through its next chapter. Things will look different as the sheriff’s office patrol areas shrink, with cities and towns in the county continuing to grow with annexations.
“We are going to have to restructure what that patrol and investigations side looks like and dive deep into some specialty teams, like a traffic unit, fugitive unit and some type of unit taking care of county parks and waterways,” Dixon said.
On the other hand, the sheriff’s office jail and court services will continue to grow, as more people move into the county. The next leader of this sheriff’s office will need to be cognizant of these changes and have a plan to address them, Dixon said.
With about 2.5 months until the election, both candidates are raising money and campaigning with active social media accounts.
Dixon raised about $180,000 in 2025 and currently has $132,500 cash on hand while Lowes raised about $107,000 last year and has about $60,500 cash on hand, according to the latest campaign finance reports.
Contact Jake Allen at jake.allen@indystar.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @Jake_Allen19.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Doug Carter and Quakenbush aren’t running for HamCo sheriff. But their endorsements could matter
Reporting by Jake Allen, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
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