WATERLOO - A long-time deputy is running for the top law enforcement job in the county.

William "Bill" Locke, 50, of Cedar Falls, is seeking election to the position of Black Hawk County sheriff.

He is running as a Republican.

"Whoever gets this job has an opportunity to do a lot," said Locke, who started as a reserve deputy in 1978 and is now assigned to the civil division.

The current sheriff, Michael Kubik, said he plans to retire after his term expires.

Locke said he would like to reorganize the administration at the sheriff's office through upcoming retirements. He would ultimately like to cut a captain's position through attrition - leaving just one - and add a lieutenant's slot to make lieutenants the division commanders.

He also seeks to improve morale by cross training deputies for other duties in other divisions. For instance, jail deputies could spend time helping with patrol or investigations.

Locke also would like to see the sheriff's office reinstate the reserve deputy program which was cut a number of years ago.

He said the reserves wouldn't replace any full-time deputies, but would assist them.

He said keeping the budget under control also is a priority, and he will be open to suggestions from others in the sheriff's office.

Locke's great-uncle was sheriff of Greene County and then warden of the state prison at Anamosa in the early 1900s. His grandfather was a justice of the peace.

Locke grew up in Evansdale and went to Central High School, where he became interested in law enforcement as an Explorer Scout at the sheriff's office.

He worked as a carpenter for a few years and became a reserve deputy in 1978.

Locke worked at the Black Hawk County Jail for about five years. He was then transferred to communications and dispatching for another five years.

After that he worked in the sheriff's office's civil division and then as a patrol deputy from about 1995 until July 2007, when he returned to the civil assignment.

Certified in crime scene investigations, Locke was a bomb technician for 10 years and was an instructor at a number of smaller agencies and at a fire school at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids.

He is married with three children and three grandchildren.

Locke's Web page is in the candidates section of the Black Hawk County Republicans site at www.gopweb.com/bhcr.

Also running as Republicans are Mark Johnson, a captain at the sheriff's office, and Dennis Kubik, a former Black Hawk deputy who retired from the Tucson, Ariz., police department.

Tony Thompson, another Black Hawk deputy is running as a Democrat.

Contact Jeff Reinitz

at (319) 291-1578

or jeff.reinitz@wcfcourier.com