CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE Matthew J. Stewart swore in Douglass L. Chapman as the new Shiawassee County Sheriff in a brief ceremony on Sunday, Jan. 1 at 12 p.m.
(Courtesy Photo)
On Sunday, Jan. 1 at 12 p.m., Circuit Court Judge Matthew J. Stewart swore in Douglass L. Chapman as the new Shiawassee County Sheriff in a brief ceremony. Former Sheriff Brian BeGole was elected as the 71st District Michigan State Representative and resigned as Sheriff on Sunday, Jan. 1.
As part of the ceremony, County Clerk Caroline Wilson, Chief Judge Ward Clarkson and attorney Matthew McKone spoke regarding Sheriff Chapman’s deep dedication to the community and his distinguished career in law enforcement.
Sheriff Chapman began his career working in the Shiawassee County Jail as a correctional deputy in 1994 and was then sponsored by Shiawassee County Sheriff James LaJoye to the Flint Police Academy. Within six months of graduating, Sheriff Chapman became the acting sergeant on night patrol. In 2003, Sheriff Chapman was promoted to sergeant by Sheriff Jon Wilson and served 22 years on night patrol. Sheriff Chapman was then promoted to Administrative Sergeant.
Sheriff Chapman is a founding member of the 35th Circuit Court Drug Court and Mental Health Court and serves as a member of the Michigan Sheriffs’ Association Victims Support Unit. As a result of personal loss and heartache, he founded the Drug Education for Youth (D.E.F.Y.). In addition to D.E.F.Y., Sheriff Chapman serves as an advocate for Meghan’s A.R.M.Y. (Addiction Recovery Movement for Youth).
Sheriff Chapman said, “I am deeply grateful and honored to serve Shiawassee County as the Sheriff.” As Sheriff, “I have several goals and objectives over the next two years. We need to address our juvenile detention issues – currently, we cannot house any juveniles in Shiawassee County and thus, we have to send them to other counties paying hundreds of dollars a day per juvenile to house them. My main goal will be to crackdown on the drug pandemic in this area and work to get drugs off the streets and out of the hands of our citizens.”
