Command Staff Darryl Fordham - Chief of Staff News Release
Wayne County Sheriff Warren C. Evans announced today that he has appointed his jail director, Darryl Fordham of Canton, to the position of Deputy Chief. Fordham is one of four deputy chiefs in the Sheriff’s Office, which is the second largest law enforcement agency in Michigan. Fordham, 39, has served as the county’s jail director since 1998 as a civilian, but graduated second in his class at the department’s recent training academy, prompting Evans to give him an official police rank. The academy consists of 16 weeks of physical training, police training such as weapons use and arrest procedure, and classroom study. Fordham was named President of his academy class and was awarded a Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards award for his overall performance in the academy. “I am extremely proud of Darryl for taking this important step,” Evans said. “Since he already is a well-respected and able administrator, this was not something he had to do. The fact that he willingly subjected himself to the rigors of a training academy demonstrates his commitment to the department and its goals.” Evans added that having officers lead the department is a cornerstone of his philosophy. Currently, the Sheriff, Undersheriff, Chief of Staff and all four Deputy Chiefs are sworn officers. Fordham oversees the operation of two downtown jails that house approximately 1,800 pre-trail felons on a daily basis, and an 862-bed jail in Hamtramck that houses sentenced non-violent offenders for up to one year. He also is responsible for making sure that the department’s court division and jails are working together effectively to avoid overcrowding situations at the downtown jails. Fordham says he feels that being a sworn officer will improve his effectiveness as an administrator. “The Sheriff impressed upon me that it’s hard sometimes for officers to take orders from a civilian, and I’ve seen that.” Fordham said. “The academy was a great personal challenge on one hand, but ultimately I felt the department would be better served it I were to go through the same training most of my employees have.” Fordham is a graduate of Michigan State University, where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. He began with the Sheriff’s Office in 1992 as Jail Compliance Administrator. ### |
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Warren C. Evans
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Sheriff names Canton resident Darryl Fordham
department’s newest Deputy Chief Long-time jail director
promoted after completing training academy