Meet Drave Crane

Dave Crane was born and raised in Lake County Indiana. His early childhood years were spent in Gary, where he attended Pittman Square Elementary School and Baily Middle school. Dave’s family relocated to Crown Point, in his freshman year, and he graduated from Crown Point High School in 1984.

Dave Served in the United States Army and was Honorably discharged. After the Army Dave enjoyed a successful 12-year career as a combustion technician, working in steel mills, power plants and oil refineries.

In 1998, the call to follow in the footsteps of other members of his family, Dave decided to become a Law Enforcement Officer and graduated from the law Enforcement Academy in Plainfield, Indiana. Dave was hired by the Lake County Sheriff’s Department.

During his career, Dave worked as a Patrol Officer, Patrol Division Supervisor, Traffic Crash Investigator, Warrant Officer, General Assignment Detective. In 1999, Dave was awarded the Officer of the Year Award by his department. Dave also served his department as an Honor Guard and proudly carried the Lake County Sheriff’s department colors at county, state and national level events, to include parades and funeral honors for those fallen Officers killed in the line-of-duty.

In 2015, after 17 years of faithful service to his department and to Lake County, Dave sustained an on-the-job injury and was subject to a forced disability retirement by former Sheriff John Buncich. Throughout Dave’s Law Enforcement career, he saw firsthand what victims of crimes went through but as a Law Enforcement Officer he never experienced workplace victimization by an employer until now. This victimization reinforced Dave’s advocating for equal treatment and rights under the law for all individuals.

In 1999, Dave married Karla, who is a 911 Emergency Dispatcher for Lake County. Karla has dedicated her life to providing lifesaving assistance to the citizens of Lake County, one phone call at a time for over 23 years. Dave has one son, Dave Crane III, who is married to Jamie, and they have three beautiful daughters.

Dave entered the race for Lake County Sheriff because he saw a need to protect our children, protect our schools, protect our civil rights, and to bring fiscal responsibility back to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Dave’s life experiences as a veteran, combustion technician, Law Enforcement Officer, Father, and Grandfather has allowed Dave to see the position of Sheriff not just as a job but as an opportunity to ensure that all communities are treated equally, respected equally no matter what part of the county you choose to live in.