Second sheriff's captain enters primary race

Yahoo

22-04-2025

GOSHEN — A second Republican candidate has joined a primary race for Elkhart County sheriff more than a year ahead of the election.
Capt. Mike Culp, a 21-year veteran of the department, on Saturday announced his intention to run for sheriff in the 2026 primary election. It follows the January announcement by Capt. Brian Holloman, another longtime county officer.
'This decision comes after much reflection on how I can best serve the community that has given me so much,' Culp said. 'I've had the privilege of serving over 14 years as a division commander, both at the patrol and administrative services divisions. This extensive leadership experience has given me a comprehensive understanding of the sheriff's office operations, from front-line patrol work to the administrative requirements that keep our agency running efficiently.'
He said his priorities as sheriff include maintaining and enhancing the safety of the community. That includes traffic safety, which he hopes to improve through education, enforcement and crash-reduction strategies.
'I am committed to strengthening community partnerships and implementing proactive law enforcement strategies to ensure every neighborhood, every business district and every rural area of our community receives the best services from the sheriff's office. This means advocating for victims, pursuing criminals and protecting all of your constitutional rights,' Culp said. 'Professional service, rooted in serving you with honor and dignity. I believe in treating everyone with honor and dignity, regardless of their circumstances. Every interaction between our officers and the public will be characterized by respect, fairness and the highest professional standards. Our citizens deserve nothing less.'
He said he plans to invest in training, well-being and career development for officers and to develop solutions to reduce recidivism and repeat offenses among criminal defendants.
'True public safety means not just responding to crime but preventing it. I will work to implement evidence-based programs, strategies and skill development to give individual the tools they need to rebuild their lives and become productive community members,' Culp said. 'The sheriff's office must operate with the highest ethical standards. Under my leadership, we will be accountable, transparent and worthy of your trust.'
Incumbent Sheriff Jeff Seigel said he was excited to help Culp kick off his campaign and that he believes he should lead the agency into the future. He said after knowing Culp his whole career, it's hard to shake off the image of him as a young intern.
'It's hard to believe that eight years ago I was standing at this same spot announcing my candidacy,' Seigel said. 'It's even harder to believe that what seems like yesterday, Michael was a wee intern that was serving at the sheriff's office, and for some reason he got stuck with me. Or depending how you look at it, I got stuck with him. We had a lot of conversations when he was just a kid, and I still look at him as a kid, but that kicked off a lifelong and career-long relationship that I'm glad I have.'