Election 2026: Sheriff Candidate Detective Brad Naugle

Continuing with our “Election: 2026” series, this edition of our candidate interviews features Sheriff Candidate Detective Brad Naugle. Leading up to the primaries, we will continue to release candidate interviews in order to keep you well educated as you make your way to the ballot box.

Publisher's Note: The Washington County Times does not endorse political candidates. Our mission is to provide balanced and informative coverage of local politics so our readers can make their own informed decisions at the ballot box. We aim to give all candidates a fair opportunity to share their views and connect with the community. This Q&A is part of that commitment to open, unbiased political reporting.

Detective Brad Naugle

1. Can you speak on your background in law enforcement?

“For 14 years, I’ve been employed at the Washington County Sheriff’s Department,” said Detective Naugle. “13 of which, I have been a full-time deputy, and the last six of those 13 years I have been The detective for the department. I investigate major crimes, like a lot of sex abuse crimes, and I’ve also been involved in a few murder investigations alongside the Indiana State Police. It’s usually up to me to investigate those major crimes.”

2. What inspired you to run for Sheriff of Washington County?

“I’ve always been interested in law enforcement since I was a child,” he began. “At the age of 40, I got the opportunity to work at the Washington County Sheriff’s Department. Washington County is my home and my community. I have worked with and gotten to know many people and families in this community, and there aren’t too many families I don’t know. I want to use my vision of leadership to make a positive difference here at home. It would be an honor to do so here in Washington County.”

3. What do you believe are the most important leadership qualities in a Sheriff, and how have you demonstrated those in your career?

“As a sheriff, you have to be for the people,” said Naugle. “You also have to be for the people that you work with. You have to be able to guide them and get the resources that they need. That goes for the community, too. You have to get the resources they need. Just because you go out and do a detail, there might be some other resource they need. So, you have to go out and get it available for them.”

4. If elected, what would be your top priorities as Sheriff?

“One top priority would be retention of deputies and jail staff. We need experienced people out here serving Washington County,” Naugle said. “To be able to give a good service would be through experience. Also, I would like to check out some recovery programs to bring into the jail for those incarcerated. That way you can fix the repeat offenders. Those are the biggest two things starting out.”

5. How do you plan to strengthen relationships between law enforcement and the communities you serve?

“You need to be open and transparent to the community,” he said. “You need to help them believe that it’s not law enforcement against the citizens. You have to bring them together, and you need to do that through honesty. You have to answer their questions with transparency, and you have to be open with the public. You need to be very clear with communication, and you must give the community your full respect.”

6. What steps will you take to ensure that deputies are held to high professional and ethical standards?

“You have to review the policies. You might need to take some policies out, and you might need to add some policies. But it’s important to make those open to the public. I think we’re very lucky here in Washington County. I believe our deputies and city police officers hold themselves to a higher standard. I mean, we are truly very lucky. We’ve got great officers here in the county. So, as long as they hold themselves to a higher standard, I hold them to a higher standard, and the community holds them to a higher standard, we should be great.”

7. How would you handle a crisis or controversy if elected as Sheriff? For instance, the bombs that were planted on bridges around the county decades ago.

“It’s like any detail we get. You have to respond,” began Naugle. “You need to make sure the citizens of Washington County are safe, and you need to minimize any injury or death. Then you have to contact your resources, and finish it up with an investigation. But before you do any of that, you have to have a plan in place. You have to know who to contact and where your resources are from with your plan already in place.

“On the controversial side of things from a PR standpoint, you have to communicate the truth,” he added. “It would be up to the sheriff to investigate it to see if any policies or violations have been transgressed. If something were to occur within my department, I would have an outside agency investigate it, and I would be transparent with that investigation. I think the public has the right to know what’s going on. Like I said, transparency. You have to be honest with the public. If you’re not, it’s not going to work.”

8. What do you believe sets you apart from your opponents in this race?

“I have 10 years of military experience. During that time, I was taught leadership and self-discipline,” said Naugle. “I am the only candidate that has worked nearly every position at the Washington County Sheriff’s Department. I have solved many cases, and I have worked under three good sheriffs. I’ve worked with a lot of good officers within Washington County and other departments as well. With my experience, I know a lot of families. I’ve spoken to a lot of families in this community, and there are not a lot of families that I don’t know. The citizens expect and care about being treated with respect and constant service. You have to provide great service for them. I feel as though I have been doing that my whole career.”

9. Do you have any final thoughts you’d like to leave with our readers?

“I care about the drug crisis in Washington County. There is not one family in Washington County that does not have a drug crisis within their family. Even my own family. So, I know where they’re coming from. Like I said, I have worked many drug cases. Sometimes, that’s the only help I can give the person. You put them in jail for a little bit, and maybe their head gets clear. We’ll bring in some resources to talk with them, and maybe they’ll decide to stay clean. There is nothing better than going out to eat or walking through a grocery store, and somebody walks up to you and says, ‘hey, I’m glad you arrested me. I have been clean for years, and I am a productive family member now. I take care of my kids, and the world is much better.’ I have experienced that several times. It’s pretty amazing. So, I dedicate the fight here at home on drugs. Parents for instance. When you arrest someone, of course they’re upset because you just arrested them. But the parents call to see what the situation was. They aren’t happy about the situation, but they know they can sleep at night knowing their child is safe and they aren’t wondering where they’re at. I believe that everyone is one bad choice from being in the same predicament. I believe that Washington County has great people. I like supporting people to help them turn their life around. Also, respect between law enforcement and citizens is crucial, and I believe together we can do it right.

“Washington County is my home. It’s my community, and I love it. I especially love the people of Washington County. It’s great when you can talk to anyone here and people know your name and you know theirs as well. It’s sort of like one big family. It really is. I think most of Washington County is pro-police, and I believe there’s not a better place to live,” concluded Naugle.