[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 86 (Tuesday, May 18, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S2571]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO SHERIFF DAVID MAHONEY

  Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. President, today I rise to honor David Mahoney, 
sheriff of Dane County, WI, on his retirement. Throughout his long and 
notable career in law enforcement, Sheriff Mahoney has been a champion 
of those in the profession and an advocate of deepening community 
engagement.
  After earning degrees from Madison College and the University of 
Wisconsin-Madison, Sheriff Mahoney began his 41-year career in law 
enforcement, all but one of which was spent in the Dane County 
Sheriff's Office. He also graduated from the National Sheriffs' 
Institute Executive Management Program and the FBI National Academy for 
Executive Management. Sheriff Mahoney's distinguished career includes 
extensive experience in labor management, having served 12 years as a 
local, State, and national labor executive officer, including several 
years as head of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association. His 
leadership abilities were recognized when he was appointed president of 
the National Sheriffs' Association and the Badgerland Sheriffs' 
Association.
  Sheriff Mahoney was elected as the 52nd sheriff of Dane County in 
2006. He won reelection in 2010, 2014, and 2018. As Sheriff, Dave led 
an organization of 600 staff in a county spanning 1,238 square miles 
with over 575,000 residents. He was a steadfast advocate for justice, 
safety, taxpayers, and the men and women in uniform who served on his 
team.
  During his tenure, Sheriff Mahoney worked hard to reduce recidivism 
and engage in partnerships to promote criminal justice reform. He is 
especially respected for his work in understanding the reasons people 
enter the criminal justice system and developing programming in a jail 
setting to address these reasons. He has been a strong advocate for 
more humane conditions in the county's aging jail facilities, including 
improving access to mental health and substance abuse treatment. He 
also expanded electronic monitoring programs to reduce a growing jail 
population and ended a costly program that transferred inmates to 
facilities in other counties.
  But Sheriff Mahoney is perhaps best known for his efforts to expand 
community engagement and rebuild trust between communities of color and 
law enforcement. Under his leadership, the sheriff's office partnered 
with the Justified Anger Coalition, a local initiative designed to 
eliminate racial disparities and create opportunities for African 
Americans. He also served on the county's Criminal Justice Council, 
which pursues reform across both the legal and penal systems.
  While Sheriff Mahoney is retiring from the Dane County Sheriff's 
Office, he is not retiring from his dedication to safety and security. 
He will continue his leadership in his new role as the director of 
Strategy and Support in the Protective Services Division of American 
Family Insurance, and he will remain a strong voice in the community's 
pursuit of racial justice reform.
  I am proud to honor Sheriff David Mahoney's four decades of 
protecting Dane County citizens with respect and grace, and I am 
grateful to call him my friend.

                          ____________________