COMMAND STAFF

Staff Services Division

Deputy Commander Robert Arnold began his career in law enforcement in May of 1989 with the Indiana University Police Department in Bloomington.  He worked as a court bailiff out of college before starting his career with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department in 1994.  His duty assignments have included the Patrol Division, Crime Scene Investigations, Warrants and Extradition, the Tactical Unit, and the Children and Family Services Bureau.  Deputy Commander Arnold has held the ranks of Patrolman, Sergeant, Lieutenant, and Captain before being appointed Deputy Commander on January 1, 2011 by Sheriff John Buncich.

Deputy Commander Arnold is a graduate of Indiana University, Bloomington and the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy.  Deputy Commander Arnold has also received specialized training in several disciplines through the years.

 

Uniform Division

Commander William Paterson began his career with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department in 1997.  Commander Paterson has served as a Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, Traffic Reconstructionist, Patrol Sergeant, Lieutenant, Auto-Theft Detective, Deputy Commander and Commander.  Commander Paterson is a graduate of Hobart High School, attended Indiana University Northwest, Calumet College of St. Joseph (Bachelor’s Degree), Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command, the Northwestern University Traffic Reconstruction, and is a graduate of the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in Plainfield, Indiana.

 

 

Deputy Commander Brian Czerwinski is a former United States Marine and a veteran of the first Iraq War. Upon his Honorable Discharge from the Marines in early 1992, he joined the Lake County Sheriff's Department in December of the same year. Over his twenty year career he has worked in the Patrol Division, the Auto Theft Unit, General Assignment Detective Bureau, and has served as the Marine Unit Supervisor and shift Watch Commander as a Sergeant. In 2010 he was promoted to the rank of Deputy Commander of the Uniform Division.

 

 

Criminal Investigation Division

Commander Matt Eaton joined the Lake County Police Department and attended the Northwest Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in 1997.  He has served in the Patrol Division,K-9 Unit, Gang Crimes Unit, Narcotics Unit, and the Detective Bureau.  During his tenure in the Detective Bureau, he investigated and solved a variety of crimes, to include batteries, robberies, burglaries, and homicides.  Matt holds the merit rank of Lieutenant and has been appointed as Commander of the Criminal Investigations Division.  The division includes the Warrants Unit, Sex Offenders Unit, Transportation Unit, C.S.I. Unit, Auto Theft Unit, and the Detective Bureau.

 

Deputy Commander Kevin Judge was hired by the Lake County Police Department on July 01, 1975.  He is a graduate of Lew Wallace High School in Gary, Indiana, the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in Plainfield, Indiana and a graduate of Indiana University with a Bachelors of General Studies (concentration in Criminal Justice).  Deputy Commander Judge is also a member of an international forensic organization, the Association of Firearm and Toolmark Examiners. 

He has served in the following assignments: Jail Floor Officer, Inmate Booking Officer, Jail Transportation Officer, Warden’s Office Record Keeping Officer, Telecommunications Officer and Patrol Officer.  Deputy Commander Judge had further served as a supervisor in the Bureau of Identification records bureau and then returned to the Patrol Division as a supervisor and Field Training Officer.  He continued his law enforcement career in the Sheriff’s Crime Scene Investigations Unit as a supervisor of the Firearms Examination Section. 

After twenty-two (22) years as senior Firearms Examiner and supervisor he was elevated to manager of the Sheriff’s CSI Unit on January 1, 2011 by Sheriff John Buncich.  Deputy Commander Kevin Judge has held the ranks of Patrolman, Corporal, Sergeant, Lieutenant, and holds the merit rank of Captain while being appointed Deputy Commander on January 7, 2013 by Sheriff John Buncich.

 

Deputy Commander Brian Zabek began his career with the Lake County Sheriff's Department in 1993. Deputy Commander Zabek is a graduate of the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in Plainfield, Indiana in 1993.

Deputy Commander Zabek has served as a Patrol Officer, a Field Training Officer, a certified Instructor through the State of Indiana, an Auto Theft Detective, a member and current Team Leader of the Lake County Tactical Team, and currently a Deputy Commander in the Auto Theft Division.

Deputy Commander Zabek attended Griffith High School and attended Calumet College of St. Joseph where he received a Bachelor's Degree in Public Saftey Management and graduated with Honors.

 

 

Special Ops & Training Division

Commander Tim Lukasik began his career in law enforcement on March 23, 1984 with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department. His duty assignments have included Patrol Division, Tactical Unit, Detective Bureau, Civil Division, Training and Special Operations with specific assignments in K9 and General Assignment. Commander Lukasik has held the ranks of Patrolman, Detective, Sergeant, and Lieutenant and was appointed Commander on January 1, 2011 by Sheriff John Buncich.  Commander Lukasik has received numerous commendations and has been voted Officer of the Year, several times, throughout his career.

Commander Lukasik attended Thorton Community College (now known as South Suburban Community College) and is a graduate of the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in Plainfield, Indiana. Commander Lukasik has also attended numerous specialty schools throughout the years.

 

Drug Task Force Division

David Britton, Commander
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas Hyde, Deputy Commander

 

 

 

 

 

 

Children & Family Services Division

Sharon Bennett, Commander

 

 

 

 

 

 

Warrants Division

Deputy Commander Tony Ramirez began his career in law enforcement on April 03, 1989 with the Lake County Sheriff's Department.  His duties have included, Patrol Division (Field Training Officer), Detective Bureau, with specific assignments in General Assignment, Lake County’s first Gang Crimes Unit and Burglary, Tactical Unit, Civil Division, and the Jail Transportation Division. Currently assigned to oversee the day to day operations of the Warrant Division, Jail Transportation Division and Sex Crimes Unit.

Deputy Commander Ramirez has held the rank Patrolman, Detective, and Sergeant appointed Deputy Commander on January 07, 2013 by Sheriff John Buncich.

In addition, Tony is a active member of the Lake County Fraternal Order of Police (Chris Anton Lodge #125) holding several offices including that of President.  He was elected in June of 1999 to serve as the Northwest District Trustee of the Indiana State Fraternal Order of Police where he is still the trustee.   

Deputy Commander Ramirez attended Indiana University Northwest Campus and Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in Plainfield, Indiana along with numerous training schools over the years.  Deputy Commander Ramirez is also a recipient of a Purple Heart due to injuries sustained during a tactical operation. 

 

Civil Division

Commander Ron Ladd is a lifelong resident of Lake county Indiana. Ron grew up in Gary, IN. and graduated from Lew Wallace high school.

Ron served in the U.S. Army as a military policeman from 1982 until 1985.Ron served overseas as part of his duties.

Ron was hired by the Lake County Sheriff's Dept. corrections Division July of 1986 where he worked for four years. Then in July of 1990 he was hired by the Lake County Sheriffs Police Department. Ron graduated from the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in November of 1990.

Ron has worked in the Patrol Division, Warrant Division, he was also a member of the Lake County Sheriff's Dept. Tactical Team . Ron Ladd served for seven years in the Lake County Sheriff's Dept. Civil Division prior to being selected as the Divisions Commander.

Commander Ron Ladd is a 2005 graduate of Northwestern University, Police school of Staff and Command. Ron is also currently pursuing a degree in Law Enforcement management through Calumet College in Whiting Indiana.

 

  Deputy Commander Lynn West is a 38 year veteran of the department. He began his career in 1975 and has worked in every division of the department. Deputy Commander West is one of four officers that started the K-9 Unit in 1976 under Sheriff Pruitt. He worked K-9/Patrol for over 10 yrs, and then worked in the Detective Bureau in the Warrants Division detective and as a General Assignment detective. While working in the Detective Bureau he attained the rank of Sergeant.  He was assigned to the Civil Division in 2005 and was appointed Deputy Commander of the Civil Division in 2011.