From: Mike Tinsley
Columbus
This election year, Bartholomew County voters will select a judge to lead Superior Court 2. It is my opinion that the clear and obvious choice to fill this role is our former Columbus Police Chief Jon Rohde.
Rohde has demonstrated his commitment to serving this community via his nearly 20 years with the Columbus Police Department. During his tenure he held a variety of positions, taking on increasing responsibility, and ultimately moving into leadership roles where he was supervising, coaching, and mentoring others. As chief of police, Rohde modeled the leadership behaviors that served him well in that role and are precisely what we need for our next superior court judge: honesty, integrity, accountability, and fairness.
I first met Rohde shortly after he started serving as chief of police. I worked very closely with him after he solicited volunteer help to optimize the CPD recruiting and hiring processes. I found Rohde to be a forward-thinking leader who was open to feedback and new ways of working that supported his goal of increasing the department’s service and value to the Columbus community. Rohde, however, made one thing clear during this process. No matter what, he was not willing to compromise on the quality of officers he hired or the culture of integrity he maintained in the department.
Rohde’s strong work ethic is exemplified by the commitment he made to earn his law degree from IU while still working full time as a police officer. As a licensed attorney, Rohde has practiced in various areas of the law including family law, mortgage litigation, and Title VII (employment discrimination) cases. He quickly earned the respect of his peers and members of the Judiciary. He is currently appointed by two local judges to work as the county mortgage foreclosure facilitator. Additionally, he has already been endorsed by former Superior Court Judge Norm Curry, who knows precisely what type of person this role requires.
Rohde’s mix of experience as an attorney and a law enforcement leader make him uniquely qualified to be the Judge of Superior Court 2. He’s already well practiced in civil issues. His time in law enforcement, on the streets of Columbus, have given him a real world view on the impact of crime that others simply lack. He has seen first hand the consequences to victims, families, and society that come from criminal activity. There is simply no substitute for these life experiences.
Rohde could have easily chosen to move into a full time private practice which no doubt would have been more lucrative and afforded him a better work-life balance. However, that’s not what he’s about. Rohde’s entire career has been based on service to others. He wants to continue serving the citizens of Bartholomew County which is why I strongly encourage you to vote for Jon Rohde for Judge, Superior Court 2.
Editor’s note: This letter is paid political content
