There's another candidate running for Elkhart County Prosecutor

ELKHART COUNTY, Ind.- Current Elkhart County Prosecutor Vicki Becker announced her candidacy earlier this week and now there’s another name in the hat.

“In the last ten months, since January, the prosecutor’s office has lost 6 out of 11 child molestation cases,” says Martin McCloskey. “This is unacceptable. We can do better.

An Elkhart County native, McCloskey says the current prosecutor’s office has some issues he’s planning to fix.

“We can do better. We will do better ,” he says. “The mistakes that have happened in the past, we need to learn from them and not repeat them.”

Graduate of Jimtown High School, former police officer, veteran and an attorney for 11 years Martin McCloskey is taking the run against current Elkhart County Prosecutor Vicki Becker.

“I would not be running if I didn’t have the qualifications and abilities to do the job.”

And that’s something committee chairperson, Becki Graybill agrees with, “He has a genuine love for this community as a lifelong member he’s been here all his life. When he runs into a problem, he finds a solution, where there is a will there’s a way.”

Both Graybill and McCloskey say they’re concerned about the prosecutor’s office losing cases.

“I care about our community and I care about crimes against people in general and crimes against the elderly, children and those who can’t help themselves in particular,” says McCloskey.

McCloskey tells ABC57 he’s ready for the challenge and hopes to make Elkhart County better for the families living there.

“You have to look at the past to see the future. My life has been an open book,” he says. “I think people see where I come from. They know me, I am from the community.”

McCloskey will be at the Civic Plaza in Downtown Elkhart on Saturday. Since he is a veteran he wanted to officially announce his candidacy on Veteran’s Day.