OSHKOSH – A new sheriff is coming to town.
John Matz is calling it a day after 16 years.
The long-serving Winnebago County Sheriff said he’s not seeking a fifth successive term in office, opting instead to endorse Capt. Darin Rice as the department’s head in the Nov. 3 elections.
Matz announced the decision in a news release March 27, bringing an end to his 36 years in law enforcement.
Winnebago County Sheriff John Matz will not seek a fifth term
“This decision comes after thoughtful reflection on both the needs of the office and the next chapter of my personal and professional life,” Matz wrote in the release.
“I remain fully committed to fulfilling my duties throughout the remainder of my term and ensuring a smooth transition for the next elected sheriff.”
What to know about John Matz
A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Matz is a former 30-year veteran who retired from the military in 2017 as Command Sergeant Major of the 120th Field Artillery Battalion.
Matz, who is in his early 60s, also served as a Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office deputy before spending the last 16 of his 36 years in the department as sheriff.
Speaking of the need for an “open transparent responsive government,” Matz is just one year removed from running for Winnebago County executive in an effort to “reevaluate county programs.”
But the sheriff fell short in the primaries, losing to then-incumbent Jon Doemel and current Winnebago County Sheriff Gordon Hintz.
“During my time in the sheriff’s office, we have created programs to help people in the long term, and I think we can do so much more with these [county] programs, and we can do it quicker than what we are doing right now,” Matz said at the time of the election.
ICE agreement draws scrutiny in Winnebago County
Matz has come under some recent public scrutiny, with local advocates questioning his office’s memorandum of understanding with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement during a heightened anti-ICE climate.
Under that 287(g) program, the department is allowed to hold non-citizens already in jail for an additional 48 hours under ICE advisement.
In two separate presentations to the county board and the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee meeting last month, Matz revealed 10 of the 17 people held on that ICE detainer were turned over to ICE.
At that time, another three people were in county jail with that ICE detainer.
Matz has previously said there are no instructions to round up undocumented immigrants while revealing there are no current federal immigration enforcement operations occurring in Winnebago County.
Contact Justin Marville at jmarville@usatodayco.com and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @justinmarville.
This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Winnebago County Sheriff John Matz to step down after 16 years
Reporting by Justin Marville, Oshkosh Northwestern / Oshkosh Northwestern
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