OKEECHOBEE — Steve Weikert is one of three candidates for sheriff in Okeechobee.

Explaining why all his campaign signs say “Steve Lawbogger Weikert,” Weikert said he took his last name off his social media accounts several years ago and instead used the name Lawbogger as his last name online. Having started his law enforcement career in Pennsylvania, working in the jails, Weikert had some run ins with a few dangerous inmates.

“Let me put it this way, I would not want them to find me down here,” he said. It got so bad that even Weikert’s father received death threats from these inmates and their associates. The name Lawbogger came from his two favorite things, the law, of course, and mudding. “I figured ‘bogger’ like I’m bogged down in the mud, would be good,” he said.

After his move to Florida in 1996, Weikert went to work for the Port St. Lucie Sheriff’s Office. After his divorce, though, he lost his job due to her family’s influence, Weikert said. “They found every little thing to write me up on,” he said, “and finally I just left.”

After leaving the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s department, he went to work for the Pahokee Police Department and later for the Glades County Sheriff’s Office. “I loved my job with the Pahokee Police Department, but they were taken over by the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Department, and they let just about everybody go,” he explained.

While employed in Glades County, Weikert became a road patrol sergeant, was on the SWAT team, motor patrol and boat patrol. “Pretty much anything you could do over there, I did.” In addition to his job as a deputy, Weikert was also an instructor at Indian River State College, training others in law enforcement classes.

Financially, law enforcement was not providing what the family needed, and Weikert made the tough decision to change careers. He went to work for Gilbert Transport driving a semi where he could make more money and be home every night.

His law enforcement career spanned 18 years.

After leaving the sheriff’s department, Weikert purchased his own Indian Motorcycle. “I’m a huge Indian fan,” he explained. Weikert is part of an LEMC motorcycle club called the Punishers which is made up of all law enforcement officers.

Oddly enough, motorcycles led to Weikert finding a church home in Okeechobee. He met Roy Reno, who told him he was a member of More 2 Life. After one visit, Weikert knew this was the church for him. “I love it there. I love everything about it.” He joined the security team because of his law enforcement background. “I wanted to help in some way,” he said.

The Weikert family moved to Okeechobee in 2000, and he has been an active member of the community since. Though he is busy with his work and family, Weikert does volunteer his DJ skills to the city and county for community events, free of charge.

Not only does Weikert have law enforcement experience, but he also spent many years volunteering as a firefighter.

When asked if he had experience handling a large budget and department, Weikert said no, but he emphasized that the sheriff does not handle the entire budget and department on his own. He has trusted and knowledgeable employees in place to help him with that. “I can’t say I’ve ever been in charge of a big business, but I do fine with my own finances.” He added that the sheriff is really the political figure. “The sheriff puts people in positions where they can do what needs to be done.”

“I get a lot of people asking what I am going to do about the budget,” he said. “The sheriff’s department has a $22 million budget. I have not pulled any records or looked at any records. I don’t need or want to know any of that information right now. “I feel like if I look at it and say this is wrong or that is wrong would be like saying Noel is doing something wrong, and I don’t want to run that type of campaign.”

If elected, he will look at the budget and see if he can make a difference. “My plan is to make sure the deputies have all the tools and the money they need so they don’t leave and go to other countries.”

Weikert said he liked Sheriff Noel Stephen and felt he is doing a good job. He explained when he first decided to run for sheriff, he thought Stephen was not running. After learning Stephen was running for one last term, Weikert decided to run anyway. “I don’t think Noel is doing anything wrong. I think he’s done a lot of great things. I look at it like a 10,000-piece puzzle though. When you work on it for a while and put in all the pieces you can, you step away, and someone else comes in and puts more pieces in.” He said he thought Stephen and other former sheriffs had implemented a lot of good ideas. “I’d just like to continue that tradition and improve on their accomplishments.”

“Law enforcement is a book that is written to keep everybody safe. It doesn’t matter if you are Republican, Democrat, Black, white, Hispanic, straight, gay, young, old or whatever. The law is for everyone and should be the same no matter what. That’s what we need to get back to.”

Weikert would like to move the department in more of an AI (artificial intelligence) age. One of the people he plans to bring into the department with him is very familiar with drones. “Drones can do a lot to help law enforcement officers,” he said. “We can use drones to search areas, protect the dogs, even search vehicles during felony traffic stops.”

Traffic is another priority for Weikert. He plans to build a stand-alone traffic unit and have a minimum of five motorcycles. He spoke highly of Adrian Rogers, who is the lone motorcycle deputy, and said he would want to put him in charge of the unit.

In addition, he wants to have a DOT Compliance unit to handle the problems with semis speeding through Okeechobee.

He would also like to offer a Teen Driving Challenge for the youth in Okeechobee. “They don’t have a driving class at the high school,” he said. Another option for teen drivers would be to have parents call in and ask for an off-duty deputy to come and teach a youth to drive. “I’m sure I could get volunteers for that.”

When asked if he plans to keep the OCSO employees on or to clean house, he said everyone who wanted to stay would be able to stay but might possibly be in a different position. “I have no intentions of walking in and firing anybody. I have no animosity toward anyone in that department. I know most of them. I trained a bunch of them.”

Weikert has a strong faith in God and believes running for sheriff is His will for Weikert’s life. “Whether I win or lose, I want to run a campaign that honors God. I’m not here to run the other candidates down. I want to run on my own merits and not be ashamed of myself afterward. God is running my campaign. I go where He tells me and do what He tells me.”