'Better transparency, better accountability, better community involvement': Michael Shea named new GTC Sheriff

Aug. 24—TRAVERSE CITY — Current undersheriff Michael Shea was unanimously voted as the new sheriff for Grand Traverse County.

He will serve in this role from Sept. 4 until the next election cycle in 2024, when he will be required to run for office in order to continue serving as sheriff.

Bensley announced on Aug. 4 in a letter to Scheele that he will step down on Sept. 3 after 15 years in the county's highest law enforcement post. On Wednesday evening, the Statutory Appointment Committee interviewed Shea and applicant Charles Jetter before making their final decision. At the end of the meeting, Shea was sworn into office by Probate Court judge and committee member Jennifer Whitten.

State law mandates that the committee to choose the sheriff's replacement must consist of the county clerk, the lead prosecuting attorney and the probate division judge. For Grand Traverse County, that means Whitten was joined by Noelle Moeggenberg and county clerk Bonnie Scheele.

The interview process

They asked Shea and Jetter a total of 10 questions, making each interview slightly over a half-hour long.

Some of the questions committee members asked were pretty standard for any job interview, including asking candidates about what their greatest strengths and weaknesses are.

Others were more pointed towards how each candidate would serve as sheriff, if presented the opportunity.

Both Shea and Jetter brought up similar issues that have plagued the department.

That list included the infrastructure of the jail, transparency with community members, mental health advocacy, staff retention and recruitment and the role of policing in the county.

During the course of Shea's tenure with the department, he talked about how he started a coalition between law enforcement and Northern Lakes Community Mental Health as a way to facilitate solutions to the burgeoning mental health crisis in the community.

That group most recently met earlier this month.

"Leadership, transparency, the uniform and badge itself whether it's the sheriff's office, the police department, stand for integrity, stands for who you are and for the common good," Shea said in response to what he believes the role of the sheriff's office is. "I think we need to move forward with better transparency, better accountability, better community involvement."

He later added, "there is no one thing — it's all of that."

Shea was also big proponent and advocate for the sheriff's office acquiring and then implementing the use of body cameras. This is something he, and later Moeggenberg, both highlighted.

"You all know me, some better than others, if I stumbled on my words today I ask that you know who I am and you know what I'm about, you know who I stand for, and I ask that you make the correct decision, the best decision, in keeping the sheriff's office, and our community in the forefront of your decision," he said in closing. "I truly believe I am the best person."

During Jetter's subsequent interview, he also talked about the need for transparency with the department and to have the sheriff at more public events.

"I want to bring the sheriff out into the community," he said. "I want to be an active member in the community. There are a lot of events that I think the sheriff's department doesn't partake in. I want to be a positive influence, a positive image out in the community."

Prior to joining the sheriff's office in 2001, Jetter worked for the Isabella County sheriff for two years.

In 2007, Jetter, a trained sniper, was investigated after fatally shooting an Interlochen man after an 11-hour armed standoff, ending the siege. He was one of more 50 law enforcement officers to respond, and was found not responsible after a Michigan State Police investigation, an Attorney General investigation and other court actions.

He directly addressed this moment during his interview with the selection committee in response to their question about the hardest moment in his law enforcement career.

"That was my biggest challenge, waking up everyday making it through that" Jetter said. "You don't know what that's like until you walk out in public and somebody's like 'Oh you're the guy that shot that guy.'"

Since leaving the department in 2017, Jetter said he now wants to come back. He explained that he left the sheriff's office because he was working midnights and his lawn care business was beginning to ramp up, so "it was like time to try something different."

Jetter's spent the past six years as a small business owner, operating and running Jett's Lawn Care. He also made a bid for Grand Traverse County Commissioner in 2022.

The selection process After a five minute recess following both interviews, Scheele called for public comment before the committee's deliberation.

Sheriff's office deputy and union president Chris Whetstone was the only person who spoke.

"Earlier this month our union was happy and proud to provide a letter of support for undersheriff Shea," he said. "I think it's very important we note right now that in this atmosphere in the community we have a momentum that is moving forward and it's going places where I didn't think we ever would be."

Whetstone emphasized that under Shea's tutelage, everyone in the department treats every person they interact with the same, no matter what their background is.

The committee then talked about both candidates, with the overall deliberation lasting less than 10 minutes.

"After the interviews I will be putting forth a motion for undersheriff Shea," Moeggenberg said. "To a large extent he's already done this job."

Public trust with law enforcement has improved a great deal due to the former undersheriff's efforts to repair it, she added.

Whitten echoed the prosecutor's sentiments, and said she too would be voting for the undersheriff.

"I've only been in my role for a short period and I've only ever had really positive experiences with [Shea]," she said. "Mr. Jetter I just don't have that relationship with at this point."

Scheele closed out the discussion, noting that both candidates "are wonderful men."

"I think they'd be a great team together, but we can only appoint one," she said prior to asking for a formal motion.

All three women voted yes for the motion making Shea the new sheriff, which meant it passed unanimously.

The new sheriff

Shea has had a long history not just with the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office, but also with the county itself.

He was born and raised in Traverse City, only living elsewhere while he received his degree at Michigan State University.

It was there that he met his wife of 36 years, who moved back up north with him after they graduated.

Before joining law enforcement in 2005, Shea worked as an engineer for a local business and for his family's farm, eventually working up to the number two spot at Peninsula Fruit Exchange.

"It was a very rewarding experience," he said.

Both of his children still live in town, and work in the public service sector too.

When Shea graduated from Traverse City Central High School, he took an aptitude test. The results showed that he would be best suited for a career in law enforcement.

He ultimately was able to follow his dream.

"I went through the police academy knowing full well this is where I want to be and where I have to be," he said. "And I was then lucky enough to be hired by the sheriff's office."

Shea has worked as a deputy, field training officer, dive team member, East Bay Township community police officer and detective all with the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office.

He has never worked for another law enforcement agency.

When he was first appointed undersheriff in Oct. 2018, he said it "helped facilitate" getting experience to one day become sheriff.

That day has now finally arrived.