SBPD Chief Ruzskowski wins St. Joseph County sheriff primary race

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- Current South Bend Police Chief Scott Ruzskowski easily took the nomination Tuesday night with 66 percent of the vote over his opponent, St. Joseph County Lieutenant Earl Wigfall.

Ruzskowski will face Republican Rod Laureys this fall, who ran unopposed in the primary.

Ruszkowski says his family was at the center of his campaign, so his watch party was at Finnies Next Door, his brother's bar.

Ruszkowski said no matter what he is retiring as chief of police at the South Bend Police Department at the end of this year.

He has 37 years of experience at SBPD, 11 as chief.

He says he's the first chief to go on and run for sheriff.

Ruszkowski said, "I can't give up police work. I can't. I can't give up people, I can't give up on people, and they're not expecting me to… I am just so ecstatic that more people came out to vote. I mean, this is a right that we have to come out and do that, and win, lose, or draw, I am ecstatic that people came out and voted. And I hope that in November, they do twice, even thrice the amount that we saw in this primary."