Veteran law enforcement officer Carl Waterstreet has announced his candidacy for Door County Sheriff, highlighting nearly three decades of experience and a career focused on protecting children, supporting victims, and strengthening professional standards in policing.

Waterstreet began his career in 1998 as a reserve deputy with the Door County Sheriff’s Office before serving with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. He then spent 15 years with the Sturgeon Bay Police Department, where he rose to the rank of sergeant, supervised patrol shifts, and worked as an investigator.

“I’ve been blessed with an amazing career,” Waterstreet said. “I got heavily involved in the Internet Crimes against Children Task Force, and that’s where I found my passion.”

He later joined the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation as a special agent, specializing in human trafficking and child exploitation cases.  Waterstreet helped develop Wisconsin’s first statewide Human Trafficking Task Force and participated in large-scale, multi-agency operations tied to national events. He also served on a Child Abduction Response Team, assisting with AMBER Alert investigations.

In 2021, Waterstreet returned to the Door County Sheriff’s Office as its first Professional Standards Captain. In that role, he oversees training, policy development, and internal investigations, while also providing oversight of both the Jail and Field Services divisions.

Waterstreet was instrumental in the passage of Wisconsin’s Kelsey Smith Act, which requires wireless providers to quickly share a missing person’s device location with law enforcement during emergencies, helping speed the search for endangered children.

“I am approaching the later part of my career, and it has always been a goal of mine to become sheriff where I started, in the community where I grew up,” Waterstreet said. “To bring my knowledge and experience back to Door County and help lead the department into the next decade is my passion. I believe it’s time to take that next step.”