10.17.19 – Michelle LaJoye-Young

Michelle has worked for the Kent County Sheriff’s Office since 1989 in various roles within the Corrections, Patrol, Communications, and Support Services Divisions; she served as Chief Deputy, Undersheriff, and appointed in 2018 as Sheriff.   She has worked diligently to implement processes which make the Office of the Sheriff more efficient, transparent and accountable to the community.  Some of her key projects include a jail expansion, Jail Management and data collection software, criminal history improvement, law enforcement mobile computing initiatives, dispatch consolidation and record management upgrades.  The Sheriff’s Office has most recently released a mobile app as a resource to our community partners.  In 2018, she was recognized by the Governor for her contributions to statewide communications.

Michelle served in the Michigan Army National Guard and Army Reserves from 1985 through 1998 where she left as a Captain.  She obtained her Bachelors in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University, a Masters in Public Administration from Western Michigan University, MCOLES certification from Grand Rapids Community College, and graduated from Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command.   In 2016, Michelle was inducted into the Michigan State University School of Justice Wall of fame.  In November 2018, Michelle was appointed as the first female Sheriff in Kent County history and the only existing female Sheriff in the State of Michigan.

Michelle is proud to represent Kent County and the Sheriff’s Office in various boards and organizations and works hard to ensure Kent County community values are represented on a local, state and federal level.  Some of her key memberships are:

• Children’s Advocacy Center, Board Member
• Grand Rapids Boys and Girls Club, Board Member
• Michigan Criminal Justice Information Advisory Board, Member
• Michigan Criminal Justice Advisory Board, Governor Appointment
• Michigan Interoperability Board, Governor Appointment
• FBI Mobile Data Security Taskforce, Member
• FBI Information Services Committee, Member
• FBI Beyond 2020, Criminal Records Improvement, Committee Member
• Grand Rapids Community College Corrections Advisory Board Member
• Grand Rapids Community College Law Enforcement Advisory Board Member
• Grand Valley University Police Academy Advisory Board Member