Candidate Profile: Michael J. Bouchard For Oakland County Sheriff

Michael J. Bouchard, a Bloomfield resident is running for Oakland County Sheriff.

Age: 64
Party affiliation: Republican Party
Family:Wife - Pam
Children - Mikayla, Michael, Jacob
Occupation:Oakland County Sheriff (1999-present)
Previous elected experience:Oakland County Sheriff (1999-present)
Michigan State Senate (1991-1999); Senate Majority Floor Leader (1998-1999)
Michigan House of Representatives (1990-1991)
Village of Beverly Hills Council (1986-1990)
Family members in government:One son is in the United States Army Infantry, Airborne Division.
The other son is a police officer.
Campaign website: https://sheriffbouchard.com

The single most pressing issue facing our state is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.
There are many critical issues which have arisen due to COVID related to economics and public safety, but they probably will be mostly budgetary going forward as funding impacts all of these areas. With all the challenges related to COVID, such as the impact on businesses, schools opening, and long-term budget issues, they all intersect with what I predict will be falling tax revenue. This will be a huge issue facing the state as to what the biggest priorities are and how they will be adequately funded.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
The Sheriff is a unique position, which is best served by someone who has been doing actual police work, as well as by someone who knows the policy and political implications which can affect the Office of the Sheriff. I have worked as a law enforcement officer for 33 years and continually work to be up to date on the latest training and technologies to better serve the Sheriff's Office. However, as head of Government Affairs for Major County Sheriffs of America, I have also worked closely in Lansing and in Washington, DC in order to get significant pieces of legislation passed. I have true hands-on experience with both of these important aspects of the role of the Sheriff. The other person running is nice, but he has not done actual police work in almost 20 years, and things have evolved greatly. Think about your cell phone from 20 years ago compared to your cell phone of today. It differs greatly and performs functions never imaginable a few years ago. Additionally, he never has run an organization, let alone a very large one, and we are one of the largest police agencies in America with close to 1,500 employees. I have successfully run this organization for over 20 years, and we have received countless national awards for our continued performance of excellence as a result.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
I will cite just three examples of the many accomplishments our team has achieved. We tackled the opioid problem head-on by developing nationally awarded, innovative programming such as Operation Medicine Cabinet, which has 36 drop-off locations throughout Oakland County to dispose of unused or expired prescription medications. I also sought and successfully had passed the legislation which allowed our Deputies to carry and administer Narcan, which to date, has saved 300 lives. We launched Rides to Recovery for anyone wishing to get treatment for their substance abuse issues and we launched a robust Medically Assisted Treatment program in the Oakland County Jail to set those who are incarcerated up for success upon their release back in the community. Our Narcotic Enforcement Team continues to work at the interdiction level to stop the flow of these dangerous opioids from being distributed in our communities. During the COVID crisis, our jail was so proactive that we never had an inmate hospitalized while the state had 80 inmates pass away. We have tackled some of the most challenging issues head on and have been recognized as a leader of best practices in the country. When I saw sexual assault cases waiting over a year for DNA results, I felt the victims deserved much better support and service. We had one case where a victim was sexually assaulted, and we waited a significant period of time to get the results which finally resulted in the identification of the suspect. Sadly, in the meantime, there were two more sexual assaults by the suspect. I launched an effort and opened our own DNA Lab at the Sheriff’s Office making us one of only two agencies in the state that is certified to operate a DNA Lab. This, in turn, allowed us to make these cases a priority and get a much faster turn-around time, which better protects our victims and the community.

What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses?
The state government should take the necessary steps to make sure our small businesses fully recover from this pandemic by ensuring restrictions match up to the risk and science. For example, why have casinos opened and not theaters? Casinos require touching cards, chips, and screens. If casinos can be open safely, why not allow theaters to block off rows and implement practices to ensure safety in their own unique setting? As another example, many local municipalities have loosened regulations on outdoor seating, sidewalk patios, and alternative parking to allow for more business opportunities under these challenging times. While many of these options were frowned upon before COVID, cities are embracing the changes to support those businesses who were shuttered during the stay-at-home order. The state needs to follow suit by examining all regulations and restrictions to make sure it connects science, risk mitigation, and best practices to better support our business community as they struggle economically and operationally in this current crisis.

How will you address the calls for racial justice and police reform?
I am proud our agency already has long employed the policy reforms now being discussed across the country. For example, the 'duty to intervene' has been a part of our policies and procedures for decades. We are constantly reevaluating and updating our protocols based on best practices and the needs of the community. Since I have been Sheriff, we have banned choke holds and numerous practices that are being talked about nationally. I wrote a white paper called Policing 2.0 over five years ago and have been pressing Lansing and Washington to implement policy reform related to law enforcement as a whole. I have given feedback and am supportive of numerous training bills which Lansing has proposed and will continue to advocate for smart policy changes which protects our citizens. We can be in favor of police reform and also support the men and women on the frontlines who are doing a great job as they put their lives on the line everyday - we can have both. Every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. I am proud that Mel Larsen, co-author of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act said this about me; “No one is more committed to justice and civil rights than Sheriff Mike Bouchard. I have known Sheriff Bouchard for over 30 years, and he personifies trust, honesty, and total commitment and is the finest Sheriff I have ever known.”

List other issues that define your campaign platform:
As we have watched events play out across the country, we must remain focused on better hiring and better training of law enforcement officers which, in turn, will lead to better outcomes. Oakland County is in desperate need of a state-of-the art training center which would benefit not only the Sheriff's Office, but all agencies in our county. We need to be able to teach real-world scenario training and upgrade the technology we use to train. Further, we need to continue to focus on better hiring and recruitment. We need to be able to attract the brightest and best to serve Oakland County with integrity, dignity, and respect.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
It has been an honor to serve as the Oakland County Sheriff since 1999, and we have an incredible team at the Sheriff's Office who are passionate about their jobs and put their lives on the line every day to protect and serve our citizens. As a result of the incredible team effort, I was awarded the National Sheriff of the Year award by the National Sheriffs' Association in 2016 (the only Sheriff in Michigan to ever receive this award) as well as being named Distinguished Sheriff by the Michigan Sheriffs' Association in 2019. These awards and recognitions are a testament to the great men and women who I will continue to support with providing them the tools and training necessary to ensure that both our residents and our employees go home safe at the end of the day. We are recognized as a national leader and I intend to keep raising the bar for the Sheriff’s Office in the future.