New sheriff in town: Cruz takes lead

By PAMELA JANSSON

pjansson@yourdailyglobe.com

Gogebic County - On Wednesday, Jorge Cruz became Gogebic County's new sheriff, following in the footsteps of former Sheriff Ross Solberg, whose last day was Tuesday.

Cruz was elected to the office on Nov. 5, 2024, after serving the last three years as undersheriff. He began working for the Sheriff's Office in 2007, working his way up to detective before becoming Solberg's righthand man.

Solberg's own career at the Sheriff's Office began nearly 32 years ago after he received a bachelor's degree in criminal justice at Michigan State University.

He became sheriff on Jan. 1, 2022, after serving 11 years as undersheriff under then-retiring Sheriff Pete Matonich.

Cruz and Solberg sat in the latter's office for a Dec. 23 interview with The Globe.

"I never started here with a goal of being sheriff," said Solberg. "I never really thought of that. I just wanted to be a police officer and do the best I could."

He said he had interned in Lansing, where he could have been hired within nine months, but he did not want to wait, so he started in the U.P. a week after getting his degree.

"I always thought of trying to go federal or applying to a bigger city," said Solberg, but added, "I enjoyed working at the Sheriff's Office and living in Gogebic County so much that I stayed."

Over the years, he's seen numerous changes in law enforcement.

"I feel like I came in during the old-style law enforcement, and now I'm seeing the new style," said Solberg, who added there is greater use of technology now, along with more training.

Specifically, he said that today's law enforcement demands more training on de-escalation tactics and mental health awareness.

Hence, new approaches can be, as he phrased it, "less tactical and more social."

Laws also have changed.

"Michigan has done bond reform so if it's a nonviolent misdemeanor (such as shoplifting or trespassing), they basically don't do jail time," said Solberg of related offenders.

Instead, he added, "We issue them a ticket."

Cruz also has seen changes since he was hired in the first decade of this century.

"The jail has made massive changes," he said, explaining that - earlier in his career - many persons entered the Gogebic County Jail with misdemeanors.

Now, he said, inmates more often have committed felonies and other serious offenses such as "victim crimes."

Moreover, said Cruz, "I think there's more emphasis on reform and programming over the past several years."

New roles such as "recovery coach" have emerged, whereas, as Solberg added of past times, "You'd have Bible course once a week if you were lucky."

He said employment programs now also exist for inmates, and some have retained their jobs after being released.

Solberg said recent years also have seen more female inmates, often with drug issues but sometimes in relation to more violent crimes.

"When I first started here, we had part-time matrons, and they would come here if we had a female in jail," he added.

But the employee population of the Sheriff's Office also has changed over time.

"Now, we have four full-time female employees," said Solberg, noting of road deputies, "In the last two years, we've had the first females on the road."

Cruz said that relates to the greater likelihood of female applicants in recent years.

"Some of our best employees are females," assured Solberg. "They do a great job."

He said relationships among staff and community also have heightened in modern times.

He said the Sheriff's Office always engaged in mentorships, but added, "We formalized it since I became sheriff. We put it in writing."

Moreover, he said, "I think during my tenure we've engaged our community partners more."

Those partners include school administration, the county Road Commission, city and township governments, Department of Public Works employees, ambulance services and fire departments.

It amounts to what Solberg said are "a lot of meetings," but he emphasized the importance of the cooperation.

"We realize looking at potential problems (acts of violence, natural disasters, etc., which he defined as "things we know the Sheriff's Office just can't do on its own") in our communities that we can find success only if we have a plan with our communities," said Solberg.

The retiring sheriff said a "No. 1" goal of his was school safety. "I think we did a really good job with that," he said.

On one point in particular Solberg was adamant.

"My career was successful because my wife (Paula) and family supported me throughout," he said. "The people here are great, but my support at home is what made me successful."

He added, "Families take a lot of hits because you'll be going to your kid's band concert, and then you get called to work."

In general, he said he worked a lot of overtime hours.

A retirement party for Solberg was held on Dec. 27 at the Aurora Club in Ironwood.

His broader role in law enforcement has included 21 years in the Michigan National Guard, from which he retired as a first sergeant. He also taught criminal justice at Gogebic Community College.

As for what he will do now, he said, "I have substitute teaching applications in Bessemer and Wakefield."

As he added, "Teaching would have been my second choice as a career."

Still, he said, "I'm happy with my career choice, and I wouldn't change anything. I had a good time working here for 31 years. I really did."

He also remains as the head coach of junior varsity basketball and assistant coach of varsity basketball at A.D. Johnston Junior and Senior High School in Bessemer.

Aside from those goals, he said he hopes to "do a lot of golfing" and travel to other states to attend games of his son's baseball team.

"It's been a good ride," said Solberg. "Lots of good memories. Lots of good people. In law enforcement, I've learned it's the people you work with every day that make the job enjoyable."

Overall, he concluded, "I feel good. I feel like this department in all the years I've been here is in a good place," and he is confident it will remain so.

Cruz said he will carry on, knowing that law enforcement will continue to change and that "we have to change with it."

He added, "I think that's going to be one of the biggest challenges."

He said he wanted his current job "to mold the next generation of law enforcement in Gogebic County."

As he put it, "I'm going to do that by leading by example and showing what's expected of them."

By association, he said that other people also have helped him to face the challenges now on his own horizon.

While smiling, he concluded, "I feel like I've been preparing for this job for the past 18 years."