Sheriff to speak to Heart Land Patriots

Heart Land Patriots news

The Van Wert County Heart Land Patriots will meet for their next regular meeting on Tuesday, March 12, at 7 p.m., in the Fireside Room of the Trinity Friends Family Life Center, 605 N. Franklin St. in Van Wert.  Principal speaker for the evening’s agenda will be newly elected Van Wert County Sheriff Tom Riggenbach, who will be discussing his stance on Second Amendment protections for every citizen and the hotly debated topic of gun control.

Sheriff Riggenbach is a 1989 graduate of Van Wert High School, attended Lima Technical College (now Rhodes State College), and graduated with an associate’s degree in law enforcement technology in 1991. He also received his Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy certification.

Sheriff Riggenbach became a member of the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Auxiliary as a special deputy before being hired full time in 1995 as a deputy sheriff.  During his time as a deputy in the Patrol Division with the Sheriff’s Office, he was assigned to the K-9 Division, where he was a K-9 handler for seven years. He was promoted in 1999 to the rank of sergeant, working as a shift sergeant and supervising personnel assigned to his shift.

In 2005, Riggenbach was promoted to chief deputy of corrections, where he oversaw the day to day operations and managed the 23 personnel of the Van Wert County Correctional Facility. In the November 2012 general election, he was elected sheriff of Van Wert County, assuming duties on January 2 after being appointed to finish the unexpired term of former Sheriff Stan Owens. He began his full term officially on January 7 of this year.

The Patriots feel privileged to welcome Sheriff Riggenbach to this meeting, and to offer him the public platform to share and discuss his views for protecting the rights of every Van Wert County resident.  We encourage all citizens interested in learning how to continue to protect and maintain their constitutional rights for gun ownership and use to attend this important meeting.

Further information on this meeting, as well as two more important March meetings sponsored by the Patriots:  the showing of the movie Fracknation on March 16, and the Primary Candidates Night on March 19, may be obtained by telephoning Rev. Keith Stoller at 419.968.869.