Experience. Education. A love for the job.

That’s what incumbent Freeborn County Sheriff Bob Kindler said makes him a good candidate for re-election.

Kindler, 55, will face off against deputy Kurt Freitag Nov. 4 in what is arguably the most heated local race.

Kindler lives with his wife, Laurie, southeast of Albert Lea in Albert Lea Township.

He grew up in southwestern Minnesota and moved to Freeborn County in 1987 when he was hired as a patrol deputy after a short stint with the Austin Police Department.

In 1992, Kindler was promoted to detective, handling welfare fraud investigations and crimes against people. In 1995, he was promoted to detective-supervisor, and he was elected sheriff in 2010 against former Sheriff Mark Harig.

Kindler said he has enjoyed every day.

He said some of the highlights of his last four years in office have been the reorganization of the department, which he noted was done to better meet the needs of the county residents, and the creation of a full-time emergency management director position. The Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response system was also launched while he’s been in office.

Kindler said the reorganization of the department saved about $200,000 in the first year alone. Of that amount, $60,000 came from savings in overtime from staff in the jail.

The savings have continued each year.

He said instead of having five detective-supervisors and 12 people on patrol, there are now three patrol sergeants, one detective and 11 deputies. He has plans to hire an additional road deputy and to fill a second detective position.

He said the emergency management director has helped the county plan for all different kinds of emergencies, including ones caused by bad weather, a train derailment and an active shooter, among others. All of the employees in the courthouse and employees at some area banks have been trained on what to do if there is an active shooter.

The director has looked at what to do if the courthouse is destroyed by a tornado and is looking into the possibility of a storm shelter at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds that can hold 200 or 300 people.

Kindler said if he is re-elected he plans to continue the county’s emergency management planning, looking into increased security in the courthouse and further training of dispatchers.

His top priority if re-elected, however, will be to continue being fiscally responsible.

“I’ve done a very good job of efficiently running the Sheriff’s Office,” he said.

Kindler also has plans to install 360-degree cameras on the exterior of the squad cars, in addition to a camera on the inside of the car focused on the back seat. The video footage can be viewed from the courthouse if needed.

He said he hopes the public will look to his accomplishments and what his goals are for the next term when voting in November.

Kindler said he was not involved in any way in the development of a negative website against Freitag, which is being investigated.

“I think the website is childish, certainly unnecessary, and the reality is, I haven’t been involved with it,” he said.

Kindler said he was out of town when Freitag and Freitag’s wife allegedly had an altercation with Albert Lea man Jim Bronson over a political sign in Bronson’s yard. The sheriff said he did not send an investigator over to Bronson’s house to investigate. He said Freitag should have called police from the beginning to retrieve his sign.

Outside of work, Kindler said he enjoys traveling, stained-glass work and woodworking.