McLean County Sheriff Matt Lane has announced he will not seek re-election next year.
Lane, 50, was elected sheriff in 2022 after running uncontested on the Republican ticket. He has worked at the McLean County Sheriff's Office for 28 years. His term expires in December 2026.
“I think it’s time to retire and do other things and let some fresh ideas come into the sheriff’s office, and help build upon what we’ve done so far,” Lane said.
Lane cited several accomplishments during his tenure, including more collaboration with the Bloomington and Normal police departments, the creation of a new school resource officer position for Tri-Valley schools in Downs [pending County Board approval on Thursday], and the county’s role in a new human trafficking task force with Illinois State Police and Decatur Police.
Lane said he came of the office with a goal to create a clean slate. Lane’s predecessor, Jon Sandage, had at times clashed with Democrats on the County Board, including over a contract allowing inmates to use electronic tablets for a fee.
“I think it served everyone well that I sat down [to talk]. I have no problem sitting down and talking to people,” Lane said. “I’m a Republican sheriff and I talk to Democrat [County] Board members just as often as I talk to the Republican board members."
Lane said he has noticed the “pendulum has swung the other way” in recent years after public criticism of law enforcement and police concerns about the landmark criminal justice reform law known as the Safe-T Act had made it harder for police agencies to hire and retain officers.
“It was a storm that had to be weathered,” he said.
Lane said one of his primary goals in the remaining 17 months of his term is to finish implementation of new data management systems for police reports, and integrating data systems for the jail and McLean County courts.
“Those are huge things, not really what I thought when I was younger what a sheriff would be doing,” he said. “That takes a lot of time and effort on everybody’s part.”
Lane’s departure leaves an open seat for the sheriff’s race next year. The primary election will be next March 17.
