Bouchard vs. Gregory in sheriff’s race
Oakland County voters will see two major party candidates on their ballot under the race for Oakland County sheriff.
Republican Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard is running against Democratic challenger Vincent Gregory.
In the August primary, Gregory defeated his two opponents with 45% of the vote ( 80,819 votes). Bouchard did not have a primary opponent, but collected 126,220 votes.
Bouchard was appointed to the position in 1999 following the untimely death of Sheriff John Nichols in December 1998. He has been re- elected to the position four times (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016).
The Bloomfield Hills resident was named the National Sheriff of the Year by the National Sheriffs’ Association in 2016 and was named a ‘Master Sheriff’ by the Michigan Sheriffs’ Association in 2019 in recognition of his 33 years of service. He has served as president, and currently serves as vice president of government affairs, for the Major County Sheriff’s Association
Bouchard was elected to the State Senate in 1991 and went on to serve seven years, which included time as Senate majority floor leader. In 2006 he ran for U.S. Senate, but lost in the general election to U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow. Three years later, he ran an unsuccessful race for
governor.
Gregory, a Lathrup Village resident and veteran, is a former state legislator, Oakland County commissioner and law enforcement professional, which includes 30 years with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department. He spent another 10 years serving on the Oakland County Board of Commissioners (1999-2008) representing Southfield, Lathrup Village, and Berkley.
From 2009 through 2011, Gregory represented Michigan’s 35th House District. From 2011 through 2019, he represented Michigan’s 11th (2015-2019) and 14th (20112014) Senate District. In 2013, Gregory announced his candidacy for Congress in the 14th District, but withdrew his candidacy in April 2014.
The Oakland Press reached out to each candidate with questions pertaining to their candidacy. Responses to some of those questions are detailed below.
To view additional candidate questions and responses for this race, and to access coverage for ad
ditional federal and Oakland County election races, visit www.theoaklandpress. com/news/elections/. The presidential general election is being held on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Bouchard: For the Sheriff ’ s Office, COVID- 19 brought a plethora of challenges to keep our employees, inmates, and the public safe. We began discussions on how to modify our operations in February and by the time many of the orders were issued, we already had protocols in place to stop the spread of the virus.
We had to constantly adjust our operations to keep up with best practices as the disease knowledge evolved and with orders and the latest CDC guidelines. We exceeded all of these protocols
and to date, we have not had any inmate be hospitalized or pass away as a result in COVID-19. These current procedures for both the jail and road patrol will continue for the near future to ensure we are in full compliance with all guidelines and regulations. For our road patrol operations, we tried to be a source of calm and reassurance to citizens who were struggling with economic issues. Many small businesses are still struggling and in recovery from this year and we want to be there every step of the way to keep them safe. Many of the orders were confusing to citizens and we served in a role to educate and support them on proper precautions.
Gregory: The Sheriff’s Department it has spotlighted the need to keep the inmates safe from the virus. Most inmates are being housed awaiting trial to determine their guilt or innocence. As this virus is not over we must be aware of how it can affect both the inmates and jail staff. As Sheriff I would make sure the Staff in the Jail would work with the
County Health Department to keep up with the latest in prevention and possible cure of this deadly virus
Bouchard: The Sheriff’s Office has trained for pandemic-type events for a long time. Our jail has to deal with many other types of infectious diseases on a regular basis and has always prepared for these situations.
However, moving forward, we will make sure that we are ready for future cases with properly stocked personal protection equipment (PPE) for both employees and inmates. Many of the policies which have been put in place due to COVID, such as holding arraignments and court proceedings virtually, may become the new normal, which will help to cut down on court transports.
Our responsibilities even through COVID have not changed - we are always here to protect and serve the public no matter the situation. We appreciated the public’s support of our first responders during this difficult time.
Gregory: This is a deadly Pandemic and I have been surprised after so many have died, that still some of our leaders are not taking it as seriously as they should. The CDC, the State Health Department and the Oakland County health department all have stated that wearing a face covering and washing your hands is one sure way to fight the virus, yet the leader of the State Senate has said he believes that people should wear a mask only if they want to. Three Sheriff’s defied the Governors orders related to COVID-19 including the Oakland County Sheriff. These are people who are sworn to uphold the law. There is no timeline on when there will be a cure for this deadly pandemic, so I believe we must be as careful as we can until there is a cure.
OP: What unique challenges has the COVID-19 pandemic created for Oakland County? How would you help to remedy and combat those challenges?
OP: How has the COVID-19 pandemic changed your view and outlook on the responsibilities and duties of those who are elected to serve in our Democracy?