Sheriff Mark Falk not running for re-election—

Sheriff Mark Falk

On December 12, 2013, Cook County Sheriff Mark Falk made an official announcement that he will not be seeking re-election in 2014. Two of his deputies have since announced that they will be running for the position of Sheriff, Pat Eliasen and Leif Lunde.

Falk said he would be retiring from law enforcement at the end of his term in January 2015. In a statement, Falk wrote, “Part of being a leader is recognizing and knowing when to move on and to allow someone else to come in with enthusiasm and fresh ideas. The Cook County Sheriff ’s Office is full of very competent individuals who do an extraordinary job maintaining a high level of professionalism that the citizens of Cook County deserve. I have the utmost confidence in their abilities, but the time has come for me to step aside and let someone else who has the energy and the enthusiasm to lead this office into the future.”

Falk has served as Cook County sheriff since being appointed in 2005. He served the department during a number of critical events including the Ham Lake wildfire which resulted in the evacuation of the upper Gunflint Trail; the December 2011 courthouse shooting; and the massive search effort for missing Gunflint Trail man Paul Brandt last summer.

Falk added, “I want to thank the citizens of this great community for the trust, confidence, and support they have shown me over the years as a public servant, but especially as their sheriff. What an honor and a privilege it has been.”

Contacted by the Cook County News- Herald regarding his plans for retirement, Falk answered succinctly, “I don’t have any plans at this time.”

The two men who have announced that they are running for sheriff in 2014 have both served under Falk.

Eliasen, who announced his candidacy on Facebook, has been a member of the Sheriff ’s Office since 1995. Lunde, who has been a member of the Sheriff ‘s Office since 1998 and has served as Cook County Chief Deputy since 2005, made the announcement in an advertisement in this week’s Cook County News-Herald.