Waterloo Courier
Wednesday, July 6, 2005

	 Black Hawk deputy retires after 25 years of service

By Jeff Reinitz, Courier Staff Writer

WATERLOO --- A longtime Black Hawk County sheriff's deputy is retiring
after more than three decades behind the badge.

But Sam Herkelman, who also has served as a local mayor, said his
years of public service probably aren't over.

Herkelman 53, retired last week as a lieutenant with the sheriff's
office. In all, he spent 32 years in law enforcement in Iowa, 25 of
them with Black Hawk County.

"I've enjoyed working with the people," Herkelman said between talking
to well-wishers during a going-away party at the Black Hawk County
Jail.

A native of Carlisle, Herkelman worked a maintenance job for that city
after high school and became interested in law enforcement through
friends who were police officers and deputies.

He eventually got a part-time assignment working nights as a city
marshal.

After that, he became an officer for the Norwalk Police Department and
then as a deputy with the Warren County Sheriff's Office before he was
hired by Black Hawk County.

"He's worked in about every division," said Sheriff Mike Kubik. "He
did a good job in all those."

Herkelman started as a jail deputy and later was moved to
investigations where he became a detective sergeant.

When the new jail opened in the mid-1990s, he was promoted to
lieutenant.

He said helping the sheriff's office make the transition from the old
to the new jail was the most challenging part of his career.

Working as a detective was the most enjoyable, said Herkelman who
fondly recalls breaking a large farm chemical theft ring.

Along the way, he served as president of the Iowa State Sheriffs and
Deputies Association.

Herkelman's immediate retirement plans include retreating to his cabin
in Missouri for some fishing and rebuilding a 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle
with his son, Matt.

After a couple of years, he may rekindle his interest in politics,
possibly with an eye toward a run for the state legislature.

"I just have to see what it will take to get on the ballot," said
Herkelman, who was Hudson's mayor in the 1990s.

Herkelman's family also is involved in law enforcement.

His wife, Karen, is the director for the 1st Judicial District's
Department of Correctional Services. A son, Bill Herkelman, is a
deputy for Black Hawk County, and his daughter, Tina Weber, is a
probation officer in Marshalltown.

The Black Hawk Sheriff's Department will phase out the lieutenant slot
Sam Herkelman held as part of a restructuring plan, Kubik said. He
said the staffing will be rearranged to hire a normal deputy to keep
with minimum personnel levels required to run the jail.

The move will leave the office with three lieutenants down from a
total of six. The office also has phased out three captains slots ---
from five to two --- over recent years.