A familiar figure in Monroe County law enforcement circles is seeking the Republican party nomination for sheriff in the March 2014 primary.

Joseph Brauer, 62, who served as police chief in Waterloo from 2003 to 2007, made his announcement on Tuesday.

“I’ll put my credentials up against anybody,” Brauer told the Republic-Times during a visit to the newspaper office.

Brauer is likely to face Neal Rohlfing of Hecker for the Republican party nomination. Rohlfing, who works for the Fairview Heights Police Department, plans to formally announce his candidacy later this month.

Both men are ultimately vying for an office held by longtime Monroe County Sheriff Dan Kelley, 65, a Democrat, who said last week he is retiring when his current term expires in November 2014.

One potential candidate for sheriff on the Democratic ticket is longtime Monroe County Sheriff’s Department Captain Dennis Schreder.

The candidate petition circulation process begins Sept. 3 for the March primary.

Brauer currently resides in Waterloo. Following his stint as police chief in Waterloo, he served in the same capacity in Lebanon, Mo., from 2008 to 2011.

Prior to his serving in Waterloo, Brauer worked as a detective with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department from 1973 to 1998, when he retired.

He is a military veteran, having served with the Marines in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. Brauer later served in various combat locations during Operation Iraqi Freedom as a contractor for the U.S. Government.

Brauer ran unsuccessfully for sheriff against Kelley in 2002. He is hoping to run on a platform similar to that election attempt, focusing on technological improvements for the sheriff’s department, increased visibility with the public, and heightened training on crimes against children and the elderly — especially those involving the internet.

“Technology is a big thing,” he said. “Protecting our children from predators is a priority.

“There’s been a 19.3 percent population increase in the county over the past 10 years. I’d venture to say those people demand more than what they are getting.”