Two candidates are running in the Republican primary for McDonough County Sheriff.
Unless an independent candidate files to run in the general election later this year, the winner of the primary will run unopposed in the November general election.
The Republican primary candidates are retired Illinois State Trooper Joe Moon and current Sheriff Nicholas Petitgout. Here is a bit of background about the candidates, listed in alphabetical order:
Joe Moon
Age as of March 17, 2026: 50
Occupation: Retired Illinois State Trooper (retired 2025)
Education: Attended Western Illinois University majoring in Law Enforcement and Justice Administration. Hired by the Illinois State Police prior to completing a bachelor’s degree. Graduated from the Illinois State Police Academy in September 1999. Holds numerous certifications in specialized and advanced areas of law enforcement.
Community Involvement: Member, Macomb Masonic Lodge No. 17; former Scotland Township Trustee; former Macomb Basketball Association Board Member; member, McDonough County Republican Lincoln Club.
Nicholas M. Petitgout
Age as of March 17, 2026: 46.
Occupation: Sheriff of McDonough County, appointed in 2018 and subsequently elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022.
Education: I am a graduate of Galena High School (1998) and earned a bachelor’s degree in Law Enforcement and Justice Administration, with a minor in Law and Society, from Western Illinois University in 2006. While serving in the United States Marine Corps, I also studied at satellite campuses at Southern Illinois University–Carbondale, focusing on an Aviation Management degree.
My continuing education and professional training throughout my law enforcement career have been extensive. I am a certified Homicide Investigator in the State of Illinois and completed a master’s-level course at the University of Louisville’s Southern Police Institute in 2008, specializing in homicide investigation.
In June 2016, I completed a master’s-level course through the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board Executive Institute titled Police Executive Role in the 21st Century, which emphasized executive leadership in law enforcement.
Additionally, I have completed numerous other certified training courses over the past 19 years.
Community involvement: I am a member of Saint Paul’s Catholic Church. I spent approximately 6 years on the YMCA Board of McDonough County. I am currently ETSB (Electronic Telephone Systems Board) chairman. I have currently applied for a position on the Bridgeway Board. I also belong to the American Legion Post 6 in Macomb, and the Spoon River Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 427.
TSPR asked the candidates the following questions. Their answers are listed below in alphabetical order.
Why are you running?
Moon: I am a lifelong resident of McDonough County and spent my career in professional law enforcement. That experience has given me a clear understanding of what a modern Sheriff’s Office must provide: strong leadership, consistent training, transparency, and accountability.
The Sheriff’s Office must be proactive, not reactive. When training is inconsistent or leadership is unclear, problems can escalate into liability, litigation, and loss of public trust. Effective leadership focuses on identifying issues early, correcting them through training and supervision, and clearly communicating how the department continues to improve.
If elected, my focus will be on leading a professional, accountable Sheriff’s Office that serves all residents of McDonough County fairly and impartially. Politics, race, and gender have no place in day-to-day law enforcement operations. My goal is to lead an office that deputies are proud to work for and that the public can trust.
Petitgout: Community Service: I have spent my adult life serving others. From my time in the United States Marine Corps to my role as Sheriff, I have been committed to protecting the community where I live and love. I value having a direct role in public safety and taking pride in that responsibility.
I enjoy the management aspects of leading a Sheriff’s Office and overseeing the jail. I take great pride in ensuring our operations remain focused on our mission. I work closely with the County Board to ensure the county operates efficiently and remains within budget.
I have a strong passion for solving crime. The challenge of criminal investigations, which require both deductive and inductive reasoning, is work I genuinely enjoy. My self-motivation and dedication to this process make me well suited for investigative work, and I strive to instill these same values in my staff.
What’s the biggest challenge facing the Sheriff’s Office, and how would you address it?
Moon: The biggest challenge facing the Sheriff’s Department is hiring and retention. This challenge is not unique to McDonough County, but leadership and workplace culture determine how well agencies adapt.
Retention starts with leadership that sets clear expectations, provides consistent supervision, and treats employees with professionalism and respect. Deputies who feel supported and valued are more likely to remain with the department and perform at a high level.
Positive recognition also plays an important role. Acknowledging strong performance, initiative, and professionalism reinforces department standards and improves morale. Many of these improvements require little or no financial cost but have a significant impact on productivity and long-term retention.
Petitgout: In the past six years law enforcement has changed. Covid, National Politics, and the SAFE-T Act have had an impact on recruiting and retaining police officers in Illinois. As the current Sheriff, I’m privy of the movement and trends of the local graduates from Western Illinois University. I receive a lot of background questionnaires from out-of-state agencies recruiting our graduates with law enforcement degrees. This puts a burden on local agencies.
The Illinois State Police do a marvelous job of paying people higher salaries than counties can afford. Local Police Departments have a hard time competing as well. Police Departments and Sheriff’s Offices throughout the state share this burden.
The SAFE-T Act completely changed our criminal justice system in Illinois. The goal post was moved. Cops and criminals are still navigating the waters. We have made some changes to the SAFE-T Act, three to be exact, in the last couple of years to make it more manageable. I am proud to have been part of that, through various pieces of legislation spearheaded by the Illinois Sheriff’s Association.
One of the things the SAFE-T Act did was take away a lot of Judicial Discretion and strip the counties of funding without any means to replace that funding.
Those are the challenges.
How to address it? You build up, change, and adapt. Building up local residents of this county who want to stay here in McDonough County and officers/deputies. Provide them with the training, experience, and mentorship that they require to be Deputy Sheriffs who stay at the office. Change, use technology to be a force multiplier by purchasing body cameras, FLOCK cameras, and a new Records Management System that are all in keeping with the times. All while staying within the budget of course. Adapt, things have changed, you deal with it, you become better at it and move forward. Mentor the people behind you by leading from the front and teaching the deputies how to solve crime and instill the drive in them so that they keep on doing it long after me.
This also takes a leader, someone who has worked as a Deputy, as a Detective, and as a Sheriff.
What is the greatest need facing the sheriff’s department, and how would you go about addressing it?
Moon: The Sheriff’s Department has a relatively young workforce, and while the public may not see internal challenges day to day, a developing department requires strong guidance, structured training, and experienced leadership. The greatest need is ongoing professional development that builds skills, judgment, and confidence.
Law enforcement requires continuous training. Regular, scored firearms qualification ensures safety and proficiency with department-issued equipment. Scenario-based training aligned with policy allows deputies to practice decision-making, de-escalation, and judgment in controlled environments before facing real-world situations.
Training must be paired with leadership and supervision. Deputies benefit from mentorship, clear expectations, and constructive feedback. Addressing issues early through training and guidance strengthens performance and reduces risk.
While training requires investment, the cost of inadequate training is far greater. I will pursue training grants and cooperative training with neighboring agencies to expand opportunities while controlling costs.
Petitgout: Keeping up with technology and training in those technologies. Keeping up means funding the advances in technology on a limited budget. I am extremely happy with the County Board and their willingness to entertain the spending necessary to keep up. They are wonderful to work with and have been willing to help me for the past 8 years.
Body cameras and in-car cameras are expensive and state requirements under the SAFE-T Act. The county’s initial purchase of those devices was approximately $250,000.00. We paid for that over the course of 5 years and made it more manageable.
Cell phone technology has changed over the years and very rapidly in the last few. Having the technology to process cell phones and partnerships is vital in solving crime fast and efficiently. This costs money and time to train on these technologies. We spend a lot of time and money learning and educating ourselves on adaptive techniques in solving crime.
How has the practice of law enforcement changed during your career in the field? What do you think will be the next big change in the field?
Moon: The most significant change during my career has been the integration of technology. Tools such as Tasers, license plate readers, gunshot detection systems, drones, in-car and body-worn cameras, GPS, mobile data computers, and training simulators have transformed law enforcement operations.
Technology will continue to shape the future of policing. Advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence are being developed to assist with investigations, resource allocation, and operational efficiency. These tools will support deputies, not replace them.
Trained law enforcement professionals will always be necessary to exercise judgment, respond to emergencies, and serve the public. Technology must be implemented responsibly, with proper policy, training, and oversight, to enhance effectiveness while maintaining accountability and public trust.
Petitgout: I cited lots of things that have changed in the past 19 years in my previous answers. Law enforcement has changed tremendously in the past 6 years, and I have been there the entire time being a cop and investigator.
I think the next big thing that we will see is active Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the front of officers, deputies, and troopers. Body Cameras that blend video and audio into an AI platform that integrate radio, cellphones, and GPS into one device. Devices that write and transcribe reports instantly and in real time. That technology is already here, and we must navigate how much of it we will be allowed to use and integrate into everyday policing. It’s going to advance at a rapid pace. We will have AI programs that analyze cases and help solve crime, assisting in investigations, literally pointing to the person of interest in a criminal case. It will be here before local and state laws are even ready to incorporate it into everyday practices and procedures.
This will be the biggest change in policing we have ever seen. I look forward to the future, and I believe that I am young enough to adapt to it.
What do you think about the SAFE-T Act?
Moon: The SAFE-T Act was a broad and complex criminal justice reform that moved too quickly and required substantial revisions after passage. I was serving as President of Illinois Troopers Lodge 41 at the time and observed the process firsthand.
Major legislation should be thoroughly vetted before becoming law. When multiple trailer bills are required to correct and clarify a statute, it raises legitimate concerns about implementation at the local level. Sheriff’s Offices are expected to enforce the law, yet unclear or frequently amended statutes create challenges for consistent application.
I support meaningful, well-designed police reform, including body-worn cameras, misconduct reporting, and de-escalation training. My concern has consistently been with unfunded mandates that place significant administrative and financial burdens on local Sheriff’s Offices without providing the resources needed to comply.
As Sheriff, my responsibility would be operational, not political. I would ensure lawful compliance while advocating for practical, funded solutions that protect public safety, support deputies, and respect taxpayers. The SAFE-T Act can be improved, and law enforcement professionals must be part of that process.
Petitgout: I will take a neutral position on the SAFE-T Act. It’s here and has been here for a few years. No one else does it like we do here in Illinois. We have adapted and changed the act a few times in the past 2 years through legislation. I do not think it will ever be repealed. So that means we must work together to make changes to the Act.
Things that I like about the SAFE-T Act, whether you are young or old, rich or poor, you can’t buy your way out of jail. If you commit a detainable offence, and sufficient argument is made for your detention, you are simply remanded to the custody of the Sheriff. It is simple, held without bond. If you commit a heinous offense, you can’t post a million dollars and get out. I do like that aspect.
Things I don’t like. I feel that we need to expand what is potentially detainable and I feel very strongly that Judges need the ability to exercise their discretion on whether someone is detained.
The thing I hate about the Act. It has given criminals the ability to commit multiple felonies in one, two, and sometimes three years before the criminal justice system can catch up to them. I feel that once you commit a felony while you are on pre-trial release, in any county, that you should then be detained. This would fix many of the problems with repeat offenders and offenders who commit crime, after crime, after crime.
I feel that I am best suited to lead collaborative groups of people from different law enforcement disciplines to enact the changes needed to make that Act more manageable for all.
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