About us

To achieve our mission, we must accomplish the following objectives:

• Acknowledge citizens as the source of our authority.
• Recognize the dignity and worth of all people.
• Provide quality service in a compassionate, professional and safe manner.
• Promote a community policing philosophy by encouraging and supporting citizen involvement.
• Continually enhance the working relations with other public and private organizations.
• Utilize only that force necessary in the apprehension and safe keeping of offenders.
• Enhance organizational excellence through education, training and technology.
• Identify and analyze problems, explore alternatives and provide solutions.
• Promote job satisfaction, open communication, team building and decision making through employee participation.

The Office of the Sheriff is more than 1,000 years old. From the beginning of English and Scottish law, the Sheriff's Office was the local center for the administration of justice. The word "reeve" meant an administrative officer and the word "shire" was the equivalent of a   county. Therefore, the first office title was "Shire-Reeve" which in time was shortened to the word "Sheriff" as we know it today.  In Macomb County, the first sheriff was James Fulton, who took office in 1818.  

Many of Macomb County’s sheriffs were pioneers, community leaders and prominent citizens.  The office has a rich history, spanning more than 200 years, with movie-ready stories of deputies engaging in gun battles with bootleggers, smashing slot machines with axes on raids and solving murder mysteries.  

The Sheriff’s Office implemented its first motorcycle unit in 1920 to patrol Gratiot Ave., the first paved road in the county, and enforce the 25 mph speed limit.  Deputies did not wear uniforms until 1926, and it was not common for the sheriff to wear a uniform until the 1970s. 

During Sheriff George Smith’s term, which ran from 1923 until 1926 and 1933-1936, the department began using in-car radios via the Detroit Police system.  Sheriff Smith was also the first to keep the department open 24 hours a day, as it had previously closed between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m..  One of the first overnight patrols was an immediate success when the deputies spotted a fire in a farmhouse near Utica and was able to extinguish the blaze before it spread.  

The first sub-station was established in 1927 in Center Line.  The station was later moved to Warren and operated until 1952.

The Macomb County Sheriff’s Office was the first agency in the United States to transport prisoners via airplane.  In 1931, Sheriff Wylie Wilkinson used an airplane to transport two prisoners from Mount Clemens to the State Prison in Jackson to avoid gang members trying to break them out along the land route.

The 1950s saw enormous growth, not only for the county, but for the Sheriff’s Office as well. Sheriff Harley Ensign progressively grew his force, from 43 deputies in 1954 to 80 by 1957.  Sheriff Ensign also recognized the need to regularly police the county’s busy waterways and began patrolling in his own boat. In 1956 he was able to purchase a county-owned department boat and establish the regular Marine Patrol.

The Sheriff’s Office merged with the city of Mount Clemens police in 2005 and the village of New Haven police in 2013, with the Sheriff assuming policing responsibilities for those communities.

The first jail for the county was built onto the back of the Sheriff’s house in what is now Marine City, as the county at that time also encompassed St. Clair County.  A new jail was built in Mount Clemens in 1819, and there were several others until 1881, when a new jail and Sheriff’s Office was built at Northbound Gratiot at Cass Avenue on the banks of the Clinton River. The building would also later house the Mount Clemens Police Department in the basement and remained the home of the Sheriff’s Office until the current location on Elizabeth Road was erected in 1954. 

The new jail cellblocks contained 12 dormitory-style cells, which would sleep as many as 12 prisoners, with nearly two dozen segregated cells for hardened criminals. There were two small apartments provided: one for the Sheriff and one for the matron. 

In 1969 the jail was found to be inadequate for the growing community and again in need of additional space. The jail was built with a capacity of little more than 100 prisoners when it opened in 1954, whereas the average enrollment per day in the 1960’s was 150.  New additions were added in 1970 and again in 1977, increasing the jail’s capacity to 354 inmates.

In 1987, the 12-story “tower” portion of the jail was completed, and in 1998, another 200-bed jail annex was added.  Despite the nearly constant additions, the jail was frequently over capacity with nearly 1,500 inmates at times.

Currently, plans are moving forward to build a central intake facility which would include a new mental health housing area and eliminate many of the structures from the 1950s and 1970s.     

A special thank you to Macomb County Historian Cindy Donahue for her research and assistance.

Sheriff Joachim Matthews

EOW: Friday, Dec. 2, 1910

Cause of death: gunfire

Sheriff Matthews was shot and killed while attempting to serve a cruelty to animals warrant at a farm in Harrison Township. A 14-year-old boy in the house was ordered by his mother to fire a rifle through the door as Sheriff Matthews knocked. Hit in the chest, the Sheriff was able to drive his horse and wagon back to town where he collapsed on the floor of the office and succumbed to his wounds.  The boy and his mother were charged with murder. During their trial the mother testified that she thought the man at the door was a burglar and ordered her son to shoot. The boy was acquitted and charges against his mother were dismissed.

Sheriff Matthews was 60 years old at the time of his death.  His son, John Matthews, was undersheriff and continued to serve with the department.  Four months after his father’s death, John was shot in the head while in pursuit of a suspect on Lake Saint Clair.   

Deputy Sheriff John Matthews

EOW: Sunday, April 16, 1916

Cause of death: gunfire

Son of former Sheriff Joachim Matthews, John had previously served as undersheriff for four years, sheriff for 33 days after his father was murdered and was a deputy for four years.  On April 11, 1911, Sheriff Harris, Undersheriff Culver and Deputy Matthews attempted to serve a warrant on Sandy DeHartier for robbery.  He had been working on a farm in Harrison Township and was suspected of some thefts in the area.  The officers found DeHartier fishing on a sailboat in the channel near Conger Bay.  Deputy Matthews borrowed a rowboat and tried to talk the suspect into coming in.  DeHartier raised a shotgun and yelled to Matthews, “you’ll never get any closer to me than you are now!”  DeHartier fired from less than 20 feet, striking Deputy Matthews on the right side and head.  The suspect fled across Lake St. Clair, leading to the formation of a posse of both American and Canadian authorities.  He was later shot and killed in an exchange of gunfire with deputies in Harrison Township.

Deputy Matthews never fully recovered from his wounds and died from complications in 1916 at the age of 37.  He was survived by his wife, mother and three brothers.    

Deputy Sheriff Clarence LaCroix

EOW: Tuesday, Aug. 25, 1925

Cause of death: Motorcycle crash

Deputy LaCroix was killed in a motorcycle accident while on patrol. He was riding west on Nine Mile Road near Van Dyke. when an automobile turned in front of him. The motorcycle was hurled into a ditch after brushing the auto, then fell on top of him. Attendants from the Detroit Police ambulance who took the call said that his neck was broken, and he lived but a short time afterwards. No charges were brought against the driver of the vehicle.

Deputy LaCroix was known as an expert cyclist. He had served as a dispatch rider for the U.S. Army in France with the American Expeditionary Forces for 22 months during World War I. He was buried with military honors, having won honorable mention overseas, a military firing squad, buglers corps, color guard, and both a police and sheriff escort accompanied the American Legion in the procession to the St. Peters Cemetery.

Deputy LaCroix was survived by his wife and two daughters and was 29 years old.

Deputy Sheriff Edwin Wormsbacher

EOW: Monday, Sept. 3, 1934

Cause of death: Motorcycle crash

Deputy Wormsbacher left his home in Mount Clemens on his way to police the Romeo Peach Festival.  As he traveled up North Avenue on his department motorcycle, he glanced at a passing vehicle near 24 Mile Road and did not see that the car ahead of him had come to a stop.  Deputy Wormsbacher struck the rear of the automobile and was thrown through the back window.  He succumbed to his injuries five hours later at Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Mount Clemens.

Deputy Wormsbacher was 30 years old and left behind a wife and two young children, one of whom went on to become a Mount Clemens police officer.  Deputy Wormsbacher’s father, John, was appointed as a deputy upon his son’s death.

Deputy Sheriff Theodore Radlinski

EOW: Wednesday, Feb. 7, 1940

Cause of death:  Motor vehicle crash

Deputy Theodore “Todge” Radlinski was struck by an automobile as he walked across Van Dyke Ave. at Nine Mile Road at 2:30 a.m. on Jan. 28, 1940. He was critically injured and succumbed to his injuries 11 days later.

Deputy Radlinski, assigned to the Warren substation, was a very popular figure in the community.  He had served full time with the department for Sheriff Havel since January 1, 1937.  Previously he had severed as a special deputy for Sheriffs Moore and Wilkinson.  Deputy Radlinski was 31 years old and was survived by his mother, three brothers and two sisters.

Patrolman Robert Ahrens

Mount Clemens Police Department

EOW: Thursday, Nov. 1, 1973

Cause of Death: Gunfire

Patrolman Ahrens was shot and killed after responding to a jewelry store holdup alarm at 82 Macomb Place. He entered the store alone and was shot and killed after exchanging gunfire with three suspects who were in the process of robbing the business. One of the suspects was later shot and killed during the standoff with authorities. The other two were apprehended and sentenced to life in prison.

Patrolman Ahrens had been with the agency for four years and was 28 years old.

Sheriff Anthony Wickersham began his career at the Macomb County Sheriff’s office in 1986 as a correctional officer. Over the years, he has served in every rank of the department until he was appointed to his current position as Sheriff in 2011.

Early on, Sheriff Wickersham was promoted to deputy sheriff and assigned to the Macomb Township Substation. During this time, he also served as a member of the County of Macomb Enforcement Team (COMET) as a narcotics investigator.

With his hard work and dedication to the department, he was quickly promoted to Sergeant 1 and assigned to the afternoon shift until his promotion to full sergeant.

As a full sergeant, he was reassigned to the midnight shift. Before long, he was selected to be the administrative sergeant for the detective bureau. Sheriff Wickersham was promoted to lieutenant and spent a short time on the midnight shift until he became the detective lieutenant in charge of the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office Detective Bureau.

Sheriff Wickersham is a firearms instructor and hostage/crisis negotiator at the Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Wickersham obtained his associate degree in law enforcement from Macomb Community College, a bachelor of arts degree from Wayne State University in interdisciplinary studies and graduated from the Northwestern University Center of Public Safety School of Police Staff and Command. He also attended the 208th session of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, as well as, the United States Secret Service Dignitary Protection School in Washington, D.C.

Sheriff Wickersham is committed to maintaining the vital services that are needed to keep our community safe.  He was born in Detroit and raised in Warren and now resides in Bruce Township.

sheriff@macombsheriff.com

Undersheriff Elizabeth Darga started at the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office in 1987 as a corrections officer. She was promoted to deputy sheriff in 1991, sergeant 1 in 1997, sergeant in 2000, lieutenant in 2002, and captain in 2011.  During her career with the Sheriff’s Office, she has worked as a traffic and accident investigator, evidence technician, fire investigator, detective/team leader, Macomb Auto Theft investigator, uniform services lieutenant, detective lieutenant, and administrative services captain.

Elizabeth Darga was appointed to the position of undersheriff on Jan. 16, 2016, by Sheriff Anthony Wickersham. In this role, she oversees the day-to-day operations of the third-largest sheriff’s office in the state of Michigan. Undersheriff Darga’s responsibilities also include the department’s $90 million dollar budget while managing more than 573 employees.  Some of her other duties entail labor contracts and negotiations, disciplines and lawsuits.   

Undersheriff Darga’s educational background consists of:

• Bachelor of science degree in criminal justice from Wayne State University - 1986
• Master of science degree in administration from Central Michigan University - 1995
• FBI National Academy - 2006
• Northwestern Police Staff and Command – 2009

Undersheriff Darga is a member of the Macomb County Association of Chiefs of Police, Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police, Southeastern Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police, National Association of Women in Law Enforcement Executives and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

elizabeth.darga@macombcountymi.gov

Commander Jason G. Abro is the first Chaldean-American hired by the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office. He began his law enforcement career in 2001 as a dispatcher and was promoted to deputy sheriff in 2003, fulfilling his lifelong goal of becoming a police officer. Throughout his career, Commander Abro has served in a wide range of assignments, including road patrol, the Marine Division, investigations, the Macomb Township Substation, mobile field force, and uniform services.

From 2006 to 2011, Commander Abro was assigned to the Detective Bureau as an investigator. In 2011, he was promoted to Sergeant I and served as the afternoon shift commander. He returned to the Detective Bureau in 2013 as an afternoon shift investigator and team leader. Promoted to full sergeant in 2015, he became the administrative supervisor within the Detective Bureau.

In 2016, Commander Abro was promoted to lieutenant and appointed to supervise the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office Detective Bureau. In this role, he oversaw the Detective Bureau, Youth Bureau, Friend of the Court investigators, polygraph operations, and criminal jail investigations. He was also responsible for the creation and supervision of the Crash Investigations Unit. In 2018, Commander Abro was reassigned to the Uniform Services Division, where he supervised the K-9 Unit, fleet operations, community policing, traffic unit, mobile communications, and special events.

Commander Abro has received numerous commendations throughout his career, including being named Sheriff’s Deputy of the Year in 2011 and receiving a Lifesaving Award.

He was one of the original members of the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard and currently assists with overseeing its operations. He also previously served as a member of the Macomb County Gun Board.

Commander Abro is a graduate of Macomb Community College and the Macomb Regional Police Academy. He completed the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command in 2017 and is a member of numerous civic and fraternal organizations.

On June 5, 2025, Commander Jason G. Abro graduated from the 294th Session of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Fewer than one percent of law enforcement officers nationwide are selected to attend this prestigious program, and Commander Abro now joins an elite group of FBI National Academy graduates.

jason.abro@macombcountymi.gov

Captain Ryan Ruttan currently oversees Administrative Services.  He is in charge of our Training Bureau, Detective Bureau and investigative units, Marine Patrol, and specialized units.

Captain Ruttan graduated from Michigan State University with his Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice. After putting himself through the police academy, he began his career in law enforcement with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. In 2002, Captain Ruttan was hired into the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office as a correction’s officer.  During this time, Captain Ruttan also worked at Capac Police Department part-time as a police officer to keep his police certification active. 

Once Captain Ruttan was promoted to deputy sheriff, he was assigned to the traffic bureau, working OWI enforcement.  He also independently ran the abandoned vehicle operations, organizing/planning vehicle auctions at each tow company on these abandoned and forfeited vehicles.  After his assignment in the Traffic Bureau, he was assigned to work the Harrison Township substation.  Captain Ruttan then was assigned to the Sheriff’s Enforcement Team (SET) working in plainclothes handling narcotic cases, managing undercover operations, coordinating confidential informants and conducting criminal surveillance. This led to an assignment as a task force officer with the U.S. Treasury Department IRS Criminal Investigation in Detroit, Michigan, where he investigated both federal and state crimes.  He was later assigned to the Mount Clemens Substation and then to the detective bureau for a number of years. 

When Captain Ruttan was promoted to sergeant, he was initially assigned to midnight shift command. He was later reassigned back to the detective bureau as the administrative sergeant for a number of years, handling several large-scale criminal cases, later promoted to lieutenant of uniform services, then reassigned back to the detective bureau and oversaw criminal investigations, which included the Detective Bureau, Youth Bureau, polygraph examinations, school resource officers, F.O.C. investigators, and all crash investigations. Captain Ruttan was a 11-year veteran Master SWAT Operator on the Macomb County SWAT Team.  

Captain Ruttan has received citations from the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) for Meritorious Service, in addition to Professional Excellence Awards from the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office.  In 2017, he was Command Officer of the Year.  In 2021, Captain Ryan Ruttan attended Northwestern University - School of Staff & Command and was a part of graduating class #494.

ryan.ruttan@macombcountymi.gov

Captain Gornicki was hired as a Corrections Officer 1996 and promoted to Deputy Sheriff in 1998 after attending the Macomb Police Academy.  As a Deputy Sheriff, Captain Gornicki was assigned to various patrol substations including the Marine Division, North-end County Patrol, Harrison Township, Mount Clemens, and served as a field training officer (F.T.O.).  In 2004, Captain Gornicki received assignment to the County of Macomb Enforcement Team (C.O.M.E.T.).

In 2006, Captain Gornicki was promoted to the rank of Sergeant-1 and thereafter assigned to the MCSO Detective Bureau.  In 2010, Captain Gornicki served as the Afternoon Shift Commander of the Macomb Township Substation and was promoted to full Sergeant in 2011.  In 2013, Captain Gornicki was assigned to the Macomb County Sheriff’s Traffic Bureau while serving as the Macomb County Traffic Grant Administrator for the Michigan Department of Highway Safety Planning. In 2014, Captain Gornicki received assignment to the Office of Professional Standards where he was responsible for internal affair investigations.  Captain Gornicki received his promotion to Lieutenant in May of 2017 and was briefly assigned to Jail Operations before being assigned to Court Services in 2018. In 2020, he was assigned as the Detective Lieutenant of the MCSO Detective Bureau (D.B.) and was responsible for overseeing D.B. Supervisors, D.B. Detectives, Youth Bureau, Friend of the Court Investigators, as well as the Polygraph Operator. In 2022, Captain Gornicki was assigned as the Detective Lieutenant in charge of the Sheriff’s Enforcement Team (S.E.T.) had oversight of MCSO personnel assigned to special units dedicated to fugitive apprehension, narcotics, auto theft, and computer crimes (D.F.A.T., F.B.I., D.E.A., C.O.M.E.T., M.A.T.S., M.A.C.E.).

From 2003 to 2013, Captain Gornicki proudly served on the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team where he served as a team leader and assistant team commander.  During his time on the SWAT team, Captain Gornicki was involved with several high-risk incidents and received advanced training in areas of hostage rescue, close quarter combat, as well as various urban and rural sniper tactics.  Captain Gornicki attended both the Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.) sniper and advanced sniper schools.

Captain Gornicki has received several commendations for lifesaving and professional excellence over the course of his career from the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office as well as from the Fraternal Order of Police.  In 2006, he was awarded “Deputy Sheriff of the Year” by the B.P.O.E. of Mt. Clemens - Lodge #2124.  In 2023, Captain Gornicki received the Macomb County Sheriff’s Citation of Valor.

Captain Gornicki attended Oakland University, Macomb Community College, and Eastern Michigan University concentrating on law enforcement and police administration studies. Captain Gornicki is also a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command.

jeffery.gornicki@macombcountymi.gov

Captain Jeffrey McPherson oversees the Uniform Services Division, which encompasses Road Patrol, Court Services, Prisoner Transport, Reserve Units, fleet management, Community Policing, Traffic Bureau, K-9 Unit, mobile communications and special events.

A lifelong Macomb County resident, Captain McPherson’s involvement with the Sheriff’s Office began at the age of 14 when he joined the departments Explorer program.  He also worked as summer help for the Sheriff’s Office during high school and was hired full-time as a Dispatcher in April 2002.  In 2004, Captain McPherson was promoted to Dispatch Leader and Deputy Sheriff in 2007.             

As a Deputy, Captain McPherson worked for several years in the Traffic Bureau and then in the Harrison Township Substation.  In 2016, he was assigned to the Detective Bureau, primarily investigating cases in the City of Mount Clemens and Harrison Township.  

In 2018, Captain McPherson was promoted to Sergeant-1 and served as an afternoon shift supervisor. Later that year he was assigned as the Uniform Services Sergeant, managing the department fleet, garage, special events, radios and in-car and body-worn cameras. In 2020, Captain McPherson was promoted to Sergeant and Lieutenant in 2021. As Lieutenant he severed as afternoon Shift Commander.  In 2022 he was assigned as the Administrative Lieutenant, overseeing department scheduling, the Training Bureau, Firearms Unit, Records Office, Budget Office and served as the liaison to the Civil Service Commission and Emergency Management. 

Captain McPherson was a member of the Sheriff’s Office S.W.A.T. team for more than 12 years, achieving master operator and master sniper.  He is a former member of the Mobile Field Force and former Explorer Post Advisor.  Captain McPherson also served as the Sheriff’s Office liaison to the Village of New Haven and Lenox Township.  

Captain McPherson attended Macomb Community College, the Macomb Police Academy and the Northwestern University School of Staff and Command.  He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and has received numerous awards and commendations, including two for life saving.  Captain McPherson was the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office Command Officer of the Year in 2021.

jeffrey.mcpherson@macombcountymi.gov

Dispatch Director Angela Elsey began her career with the Sheriff’s Office in 2009 as an emergency dispatcher. Prior to being appointed director, she previously served as the afternoon shift supervisor, training coordinator and CAD administrator.

During her time as dispatch director, she has facilitated multiple projects including the completion of an offsite backup dispatch center, simulated training center, advanced technology implementations, communications center training program and several service consolidations. Angela is also the 911 coordinator for Macomb County tasked with maintaining a cohesive relationship amongst all nine Macomb County Dispatch Centers and serves to ensure that requirements and deadlines in the 911 statute are met. This includes reviewing state and local funding sources and expenditures received through 911 mechanisms and reporting on behalf of all 9 agencies to the State 911 Office.

Most recently, Angela successfully led the county-wide initiative to secure a local funding mechanism for 911 operations and is currently leading the transition of the entire county to a next generation 911 fiber optic-based network.

Director Elsey has received numerous awards, including 2014 Dispatcher of the Year, 2020 Command Officer of the Year, 2019 Sheriff’s Office Employee of the Month, 2020 Tyler Excellence Award and several professional excellence awards throughout her career.

She is the current the vice president of the Michigan Communications Director’s Association, serves on the State 911 Office Emerging Technology Subcommittee, and is an instructor for the MCDA’s New Director School teaching leadership and personnel management. Angela is a certified ENP (Emergency Number Professional), demonstrating a mastery of the comprehensive knowledge base required for emergency number management and standards. She attended Central Michigan University with a focus in broadcast and cinematic arts and Spanish.

angela.elsey@macombcountymi.gov

Lieutenant Jeffrey Budzynowski started at the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office in 1996 as a corrections officer. He was promoted to deputy sheriff in 1999 where he was initially assigned to road patrol then moving to the traffic bureau and motor unit. In 2003, he was assigned to the County of Macomb Sheriff’s Enforcement Team (conspiracy and narcotics). In 2006, Lt. Budzynowski was promoted to sergeant 1 and assigned to the detective bureau. In 2007, he supervised a Tri-County Task Force which included officers from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, MDOC, and the U.S. Marshals. During this time, he was deputized as a U.S. Marshal task force officer. In 2011, Lt. Budzynowski was promoted to sergeant and assigned to the Sheriff’s Enforcement Team where he supervised the Fugitive Apprehension and Narcotics Divisions.

In 2015, he was promoted to lieutenant and supervised the afternoon shift road patrol. In 2016, he was assigned to the Uniform Services Division. In 2017, he was then assigned to the Sheriff’s Enforcement Team and oversaw the narcotics, fugitive and computer crimes units within SET. He was also responsible for the supervision of deputies assigned to task forces with the FBI, DEA and U.S. Marshals. In 2020, Lt. Budzynowski was assigned to court security command, where he is currently working.

Throughout Lt. Budzynowski’s career, he has served on the Macomb County SWAT team from 2001 to 2021. He held various positions on the team as entry team operator, explosive breacher and assistant team leader. In 2015, he was named the SWAT commander and held this position for six years.

Lt. Budzynowski is a graduate of Macomb Community College (criminal justice) and Macomb Regional Police Academy. He has attended Wayne State University and completed Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command in 2017.

jeffrey.budzynowski@macombcountymi.gov

Lieutenant Matthew Pecha was hired as a dispatcher in 1996 and promoted to deputy sheriff in 2000.  As a deputy, he worked various assignments including road patrol, marine patrol, as a detective on a Conspiracy Crimes unit (C.O.M.E.T.), and as a K-9 handler.

After being promoted to sergeant in 2007, he worked as a shift commander, as a detective sergeant in the detective bureau and as a commander with the Marine Division.  Upon being promoted to lieutenant in 2018, he was assigned to command the afternoon shift, including the supervision of jail personnel, road patrol, and dispatch.  Lt. Pecha was then assigned to the Sheriff’s Enforcement Team (S.E.T.) and oversaw the plain-clothes investigations of the Sheriff’s Office.  He is currently assigned as the uniform services lieutenant and assists in the supervision of patrol services.

Lt. Pecha earned his bachelor's of science degree in justice studies from Northern Michigan University, attended the Macomb Police Academy, and is a graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Staff and Command.

matthew.pecha@macombcountymi.gov

Lieutenant Gary Wiegand was hired by the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office in 1997 as a corrections officer. He was promoted to deputy sheriff in 2000, sergeant 1 in 2009 and full sergeant in 2013. He was promoted to his current rank of lieutenant in 2019. During his career with the Sheriff’s Office he’s been assigned to several patrol substations and specialized units including Road Patrol, Marine Division, Detective Bureau and Undercover Narcotics.

He was assigned to the Sheriff’s Marine Division for four years as a deputy sheriff and one year as a sergeant. He holds certifications as a boating accident investigator, Michigan boaters’ safety instructor and an ice rescue technician/instructor.

He was assigned to the County of Macomb Enforcement Team (C.O.M.E.T) and the Sheriff’s Enforcement Team (S.E.T) as both a detective and a sergeant for a total of seven years. During that time, he worked in Conspiracy Crimes, Narcotics and Fugitive Apprehension, as well as being qualified as an expert witness in the field of “street level narcotics.”

Lt. Wiegand served as a member of the Sheriff’s Underwater Search and Recovery Team (Dive Team) for 17 years and was the Dive Team Commander for 9 years. He is a PADI certified master diver.

Lt. Wiegand has more than 18 years of experience as a member of the Sheriff’s Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) and currently serves as the SWAT team commander.

Lt. Wiegand has received several commendations over the course of his career from the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office as well as from the Fraternal Order of Police, including Professional Excellence, Lifesaving and Command Officer of the Year.

Lt. Wiegand’s educational background consists of:

· Bachelor's degree in economics and accounting from Albion College - 1995

· Macomb Police Academy – 2001

· Advanced SWAT Operations from the Government Training Institute – 2009

· Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command – 2020

Lieutenant Gary Wiegand is currently assigned to the Marine Division.

gary.wiegand@macombcountymi.gov

Lieutenant Justin Locke began his career with the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office in 2000 as a corrections officer. He was promoted to deputy sheriff in 2001 and was stationed in Macomb Township upon his completion of the FTO program. During his time as a deputy, he was assigned to various assignments such as road patrol, COMET surveillance, Traffic Bureau, and SET Narcotics.

In 2014, he was promoted to sergeant 1 where he returned to uniform duties on midnight and afternoon shift. He was then assigned to the Macomb Township Substation where he assisted with the daily operations and logistics of the deputies assigned to the station. In 2017, he was promoted to full sergeant and continued his assignment in Macomb Township until he was promoted to lieutenant.  Lt. Locke currently serves as the afternoon shift commander.

During his career, he has been assigned to various specialized units. He is a member of to the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team, while also serving as the mobile field force lieutenant and emergency vehicle operations instructor.

Lt. Locke earned his associate's degree in criminal justice from Macomb Community College and graduated from the Macomb County Police Academy in 2000.

justin.locke@macombcountymi.gov

Lieutenant Santini began his career at the Mt. Clemens Police Department.  He was hired as a dispatcher in 1995 and was promoted to a patrol officer in 1999.

Lieutenant Santini was hired in 2005 by the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office and was assigned directly to road patrol duties. As a deputy sheriff, he worked road patrol and undercover narcotics at the Sheriff’s Enforcement Team (SET).

In 2015, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant 1 and in 2017 was promoted to full Sergeant.  During his time as a Sergeant, he was a midnight shift command officer and Sergeant in charge of the SET narcotics unit.

Lieutenant Santini was assigned as the afternoon shift Lieutenant from June 2022 to June 2024.  From June 2024 to January 2025, he was assigned as the Jail Operations Lieutenant. Beginning in June 2023 and currently, Lieutenant Santini is the liaison for the Sheriff on the Macomb County Central Intake and Assessment Center project.

Lieutenant Santini is a lifelong resident of Macomb County.  He attended and graduated Mt. Clemens High School, Macomb Community College and the Macomb Police Academy.  He has also completed the Northwestern University School of Police Supervision, Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command, the Michigan Jail Command Staff Academy, and the MSP and DEA narcotic schools.

Lieutenant Santini is the recipient of several departmental citations, commendations and lifesaving awards.  He was awarded the Mt. Clemens Elks Lodge “Deputy of the Year” in 2007 and the Macomb County Sheriff’s Deputy of the year in 2010.

daryn.santini@macombcountymi.gov

Lieutenant Eric Ehrler currently serves as the Criminal Investigations Lieutenant, where he oversees a broad portfolio of specialized units including the Detective Bureau, Youth Bureau, Polygraph Examiner, Arson Investigators, Crash Team, and Evidence Technicians. In this role, he manages complex investigations, supervises specialized personnel, and ensures operational efficiency and investigative excellence across multiple disciplines.

Lieutenant Ehrler’s career in law enforcement began in 1999 when he joined the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office as a Corrections Officer. In 2002, Lieutenant Ehrler was promoted to Deputy Sheriff and assigned to the Traffic Bureau, where he focused on OWI enforcement. He later transferred to the Mount Clemens Substation, gaining valuable patrol and community policing experience before being selected to join the Detective Bureau in 2010. As a Detective, he investigated a wide range of criminal cases and served as the lead investigator on several high-profile incidents, including violent sexual assaults, homicides, child abuse investigations, and major criminal enterprise and racketeering cases.

Lieutenant Ehrler was promoted to Sergeant in 2016, initially assigned to the midnight shift. He was soon reassigned to the Detective Bureau as the North-End Team Leader, where he supervised detectives and School Resource Officers while managing active investigations. He later served in the Office of Professional Standards, responsible for internal investigations and civil liability matters, before becoming the Administrative Sergeant of the Detective Bureau. His leadership experience ultimately led to his promotion to Lieutenant in 2023.

As a Lieutenant, he first led the midnight shift, overseeing road patrol operations, jail operations, and dispatch services. In June 2024, he became the Macomb Township Substation Lieutenant before being selected for his current position in September 2024.

Beyond his primary assignments, Lieutenant Ehrler has served as a Crisis Negotiator on the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office Crisis Negotiation Team for nine years and is currently the Team Leader. His contributions include developing the Sheriff's Office Emergency Vehicle Operations Program—now supported by a cadre of ten instructors—and establishing the Vehicle Pursuit Review Board and related policy.

Throughout his career, Lieutenant Ehrler has been recognized for his service and professionalism, receiving awards to include Life Saving and Professional Excellence. He is a graduate of the Shield Institute Command Level One program and, in May 2025, completed the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety School of Police Staff and Command, Class #599.

eric.ehrler@macombcountymi.gov

Lieutenant Stacy O’Brien began his law enforcement career in 2000 with the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office as a Corrections Officer. During his early tenure, he earned certification as a PPCT/Defensive Tactics Instructor and contributed to departmental use of force training. In 2003, he completed the Macomb Police Academy on his own initiative and was promoted to Deputy Sheriff.

As a Deputy, Lieutenant O’Brien served in various road patrol assignments, including the Bruce and Macomb Township substations. He also acted as a Field Training Officer. In 2009, he transitioned to the Friend of the Court as an investigator, focusing on the apprehension of individuals with child support warrants. Concurrently, he joined the department’s Mobile Field Force and the Underwater Search and Recovery Team (USRT), where he continues to serve as Team Leader.

In 2011, he was promoted to Sergeant, first supervising the afternoon shift and later leading operations at the Macomb Township Substation. In 2015, he took on the role of South-End Detectives Supervisor in the Detective Bureau, later returning to dayshift supervisory duties. In 2021, he became the Sergeant overseeing the Mt. Clemens Substation. In 2024, he was promoted to Lieutenant, serving successively as Afternoon Shift Lieutenant, Jail Operations Lieutenant, and currently, the Lieutenant in charge of the Macomb Township Substation.

Lieutenant O’Brien holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Social Science from Ferris State University. His professional accolades include two Departmental Professional Excellence Awards. He has also earned instructor-level certifications in Range Master, Patrol Rifle, ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate), CRASE (Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events), and Below 100. Additionally, he serves as the department liaison for the Bicycle Reserve Unit.

Beyond his operational duties, Lieutenant O’Brien is actively involved in union leadership. He currently serves as President of the Command Officers Union and has previously held the position of Treasurer for both the Command and Deputies Unions.

stacy.obrien@macombcountymi.gov

Lieutenant Kenneth Rumps graduated from Warren Lincoln High School in 1991. He furthered his education at Central Michigan University where he graduated with a major in Sociology with a Criminal Justice Concentration and a Conservation Minor.  

Lieutenant Kenneth Rumps began his career with the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office in November 1997 as a Corrections Officer.  In January 2001, he worked the midnight shift and put himself through the police academy during the day.  May of 2001, after graduating the police academy, he was promoted to Deputy Sheriff. He worked two years in the Traffic Bureau as Alcohol Enforcement, receiving the MADD Award his second year. From traffic, he was assigned to Oakland Macomb Interdiction Team (OMIT) for 3 years.  OMIT was an FBI Task Force focusing on larger distribution of narcotics and money and he was federally deputized by the FBI. In 2010, he was placed on the Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team where he took on the duties of containment, less lethal and entry team.  In 2022, Lieutenant Kenneth Rumps became assist team leader for the SWAT Team.  

Lieutenant Kenneth Rumps spent the next couple years working midnights in Macomb Township and Mt. Clemens before being assigned to Sheriff’s Enforcement Team (SET).  He was assigned as a SET Detective focusing mostly on narcotics cases.  After leaving the SET Team, he was promoted to Sergeant 1 and assigned to afternoons command.  He spent the next 4 ½ years working afternoons command and gaining Full Sergeant during this period.  

In 2021, he was assigned to the Traffic Division, supervising the 416 Traffic Deputies, County Motor Carrier and the Sergeant Liaison for Harrison Township.  He also oversaw our Aviation Unit, head of the Traffic Safety Network for Macomb County, on the Critical Incident Stress Management team (CISM) and responsible for over $1,000,000.00 in grant money. Lieutenant Kenneth Rumps headed a successful testing period with Flock Cameras (plate readers) that resulted in the purchase of over 25 plate reader cameras located throughout the county. Lieutenant Kenneth Rumps continues to strive to make this the premier Law Enforcement Agency in the state.

kenneth.rumps@macombcountymi.gov

Lieutenant Darrell Babbitt was hired as a corrections officer in May of 2001 and was promoted to the rank of deputy sheriff in 2005. As a road patrol deputy, Lieutenant Babbitt worked various patrol assignments and was assigned to the Mt. Clemens Substation, the Detective Bureau, and the Macomb Auto Theft Squad. 

After being promoted to the rank of sergeant-1 in January of 2017, and full sergeant in June of 2020, he worked as the afternoon shift commander and was also assigned as a detective sergeant in the Office of Professional Standards in April of 2018 and served in that position until September of 2024.

Lieutenant Babbitt is the recipient of several departmental commendations for professional excellence. He received the Mt. Clemens Elks Lodge #2124 Deputy of the Year award in February of 2011 and the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office Deputy of the Year award in 2014.

Lieutenant Babbitt earned an associate degree in criminal justice Macomb Community College, attended the Macomb Community College Corrections Academy and the Macomb Community College Police Academy. Lieutenant Babbitt will attend the Northwestern University School of Staff and Command in January of 2025.

darrell.babbitt@macombcountymi.gov

Lieutenant Crabtree currently serves as the Detective Lieutenant in charge of the Sheriff’s Enforcement Team (S.E.T.) and oversees MCSO personnel assigned to special units dedicated to fugitive apprehension, narcotics, auto theft, and computer crimes (D.F.A.T., F.B.I., D.E.A., C.O.M.E.T., M.A.T.S., M.A.C.E.).

Lt. Crabtree put himself through the police academy in 2005 before being hired as a Corrections Officer a few months after graduation.  As a pre-certified employee, he worked part-time for Richmond Police Department and Oakland County Sheriff’s Office in order to hold his certification while working full-time as a Corrections Officer. 

Lt. Crabtree was promoted to Deputy Sheriff in 2010.  As a Deputy Sheriff, Lt. Crabtree was assigned to various patrol substations as well as the Traffic Division.  In 2015, he received an assignment with the Detective Bureau.  As a detective, he handled all types of investigations including Criminal Sexual Conduct, Homicide, and Child Abuse cases. 

In 2018, Lt. Crabtree was promoted to the rank of Sergent-1 and oversaw midnight shift road patrol, dispatch and jail.  In 2020, Lt. Crabtree received an assignment as South-end Team Leader overseeing a team of detectives and was promoted to Sergeant in 2021.  In 2023, Lt. Crabtree was reassigned as the Administrative Sergeant of the Detective Bureau and was promoted to Lieutenant in 2024, subsequently assigned to the Sheriff’s Enforcement Team.

Lt. Crabtree has been a member of the Macomb County Sheriff’s Honor Guard since 2011.  He has received numerous Professional Excellence awards throughout his career and attended Northwestern University - School of Staff & Command as part of graduating class #513.

david.crabtree@macombcountymi.gov

Lieutenant Mark Morfino graduated from Macomb Community College with an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Law Enforcement. He attended the Macomb Police Academy and was hired as a corrections officer with the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office in 1998. Lieutenant Morfino was promoted to deputy sheriff in 2000 assigned to road patrol and was eventually assigned to the Macomb Township substation.    

In 2001, Lieutenant Morfino was assigned to the K-9 Unit. He completed the Oakland Police Academy K-9 program and worked with two different dogs until 2006 on road patrol. His first dog was a patrol dog trained in narcotics detection, tracking, and handler protection and his second dog was a single purpose narcotics detection dog. In 2006 Lieutenant Morfino was assigned to the County of Macomb Enforcement Team (C.O.M.E.T), a multi-jurisdictional taskforce overseen by the Michigan State Police. Lieutenant Morfino was assigned as an undercover narcotics detective with his K-9 partner until 2009. 

In 2009, Lieutenant Morfino briefly went back to road patrol. He also joined the Macomb County Sheriff’s S.W.A.T. team in 2009 and was assigned to the sniper team until 2014. Lieutenant Morfino was assigned to the detective bureau in 2014 until he was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2017. Lieutenant Morfino remained in the detective bureau until 2022 where he served as the south end team leader and later as the administrative sergeant. 

In 2002, Lieutenant Morfino left the detective bureau and was assigned as one of two command officers in the Office of Professional Standards (Internal Affairs). The Office of Professional Standards handles internal investigations, civil matters, and death investigations within the Macomb County Jail. Lieutenant Morfino is currently assigned as the Jail Operations Lieutenant. Lieutenant Morfino is also a board member on the Friend of the Court (F.O.C.) Citizen’s Advisory Committee which is responsible for reviewing F.O.C. grievances. During his 27 years, Lieutenant Morfino has received numerous citations for Meritorious Service, Professional Excellence, Life Saving, and a recognition award from the Fraternal Order of Police (F.O.P.).       

mark.morfino@macombcountymi.gov

Lieutenant Jason Conklin began his career with the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office as a Dispatcher in 2003. He was promoted to Deputy in January of 2013. As a Deputy he held various positions, these include the Marine Division, Traffic Bureau, Evidence Technician and Detective Bureau. 

During his time in the Traffic Bureau, Lieutenant Conklin was focused on identifying and stopping impaired drivers. Due to this passion, he pursued and became the first Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) for the agency. As a DRE, he was able to assist officers with identifying impaired drivers and was able to deliver expert witness testimony in numerous Drugged Driving cases. He continued his education and became a Standardized Field Sobriety Instructor and assisted with instructing Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement training for the State of Michigan. 

In 2018, Lieutenant Conklin was promoted to Sergeant-1 and oversaw midnight shift road patrol, dispatch and jail. In January of 2021, he was assigned as the Use of Force Coordinator and Range Master for the agency. As the agencies use of force expert, he reviewed on average 600 Use of Force incidents annually. In this position he set the agencies standards for weapons, tactics and use of force. In 2022, he became the agencies first TASER Master Instructor. 

Lieutenant Conklin is current member of the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office Special Weapons and Tactics Team (MCSO SWAT). He currently is the Assistant Sniper Team Leader. Lieutenant Conklin was a member of the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard for 12 years. Many of those years he served as the Commander of the Unit. He is a former member of the Mobile Field Force and assisted Captain McPherson with the agencies Explorer Post as an Advisor for the past 21 years. 

Lieutenant Conklin has received several commendations over the course of his career with the Sheriff’s Office. Some of the most notable accomplishments: 

• Macomb County Sheriff’s Office Dispatcher of the Year Award
• 2015 Mothers Against Drunk Driving Lifesaving Award
• 2016 Mothers Against Drunk Driving Outstanding Deputy Award
• Macomb County Sheriff’s Office Command Officer of the Year
• 2024 Hans Marrero Award for Exceptional Performance (AXON Master Instructor School -Albany New York) 

Lieutenant Conklin attended Macomb Community College, the Macomb Police Academy, Force Science Institute Analyst, Department of Homeland Security Federal Use of Force Instructor School and FBI Basic and Advanced Sniper Schools. 

Dispatch Operations Manager Elizabeth Bagos began her career with Macomb County Sheriff’s Office in 2010 as a 911 dispatcher. In 2018, she was promoted to dispatch supervisor, assigned to the midnight shift. Elizabeth has also occupied the positions of training coordinator and CAD administrator.

As the Dispatch Operations Manager, Elizabeth is second in command to the dispatch director and her responsibilities include operational oversight of the center, leading and coordinator projects, implementing procedural changes, and managing software implementations and upgrades. Elizabeth directly oversees the Dispatch Training Program, coordinates hiring events, dispatch candidate testing and manages continuing education for current dispatchers. As CAD administrator, Elizabeth is responsible for the overall health and maintenance of all dispatch software systems. She serves on the Tyler Technology CAD advisory board, leads the Tyler Technology/Macomb County user group, and is a Tyler Technology Michigan user group committee member.

In addition, Elizabeth serves on the State 911 Training Subcommittee for Michigan where she works with fellow members to ensure that requirements defined in the 911 statute are met amongst all public safety answering points throughout the state. Elizabeth also holds a CMCP certification (Center Manager Certification Program), a professional certification designed for 911 center managers and supervisors.

elizabeth.bagos@macombcountymi.gov

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• 2021 Annual Report
• 2020 Annual Report
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• 2016 Annual Report
• 2015 Annual Report