Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard Wins Top Citation

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OAKLAND COUNTY, MI – Oakland County’s sheriff is now America’s sheriff.

Sheriff Michael J. Bouchard has been awarded the prestigious national Ferris E. Lucas Award for Sheriff of the Year 2016 from the National Sheriffs’ Association.

“I am humbled by this honor and thank NSA for this recognition,” Bouchard said in a statement. “Law enforcement is my passion and I will continue to uphold my Constitutional oath to protect and serve the citizens that have entrusted me with their safety. Every day I am excited to go to work with the great men and women of our agency and our law enforcement partners.”

Bouchard was selected from more than 3,000 elected sheriffs across the country to receive this honor, established in 1995 by the National Sheriffs' Association to recognize an outstanding sheriff of the year for contributions made to improve the standing of the office of sheriff at the local, state, and national levels, and for involvement in the community above and beyond the responsibilities required.

The award is given in memory of Ferris E. Lucas, a National Sheriffs’ Association past president (1944-46) and executive director (1964-82), who completed 50 years of distinguished service and leadership in law enforcement.

Lucas was the St. Clair County, MI, sheriff for 18 years.

“Sheriff Bouchard has been relentless in pushing for public policy changes in Lansing and in Washington, DC, in his role as vice president in charge of government Affairs for the Major County Sheriffs’ Association of America,” Michael Ferrence, MCSA executive director said. “His efforts make our communities safer and strengthen protections for our boots on the ground.”

Added Michigan Sheriffs’ Association Executive Director Terry Jungel: “Mike Bouchard has been an outstanding Sheriff serving Oakland County for over 17 years. He has always been ‘our sheriff,' but now has become ‘America’s sheriff.’ Law enforcement is better off because of the determination and unwavering commitment that Sheriff Bouchard exemplifies.”