Command Staff

Daniel Pfannes - Undersheriff

Daniel Pfannes currently serves as Undersheriff for the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, which is Michigan’s second-largest police agency with more than 1,300 sworn and non-sworn employees. Appointed by Wayne County Sheriff Warren C. Evans on March 19, 2007, Pfannes oversees all police operations within the Sheriff’s Office, including jail operations, court security and all field operations.

Among the many individual units Pfannes oversees on a daily basis are the Secondary Road Patrol, Highland Park Patrol, Fugitive Apprehension Service Team, Missing & Exploited Children’s Task Force, Narcotics & Morality Enforcement, Detective Bureau, Park Patrol, Marine Patrol, Special Response Team (SRT), Mounted Unit and more.

Prior to his appointment as Wayne County Undersheriff, Pfannes led the Westland Police Department as its Chief since early in 2003. Over the course of his 25 year career in law enforcement, he worked his way up through the ranks from police officer to the top cop in the city of Westland leading Wayne County’s fourth largest municipal police force. He managed more than 100 sworn officers and a $17 million annual budget.

Pfannes has worked hard to ensure that Westland is one of the region’s safest communities for both residents and businesses. While the city is a solid, stable community, it has law enforcement concerns similar to many suburban communities – juvenile crime, safety in the schools, violent crime, auto theft, sexual predators, and other public safety issues like drunk driving and traffic enforcement. Chief Pfannes has taken a proactive stance in collaborating with other law enforcement agencies to maximize police services in the community through joint task forces, inter-agency sweeps and other law enforcement operations.

Pfannes has been an active member of the law enforcement community in Michigan. He is a member of the: Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police Legislative Committee, Southeastern Michigan Chiefs of Police Association, Wayne County’s Homeland Security Local Planning Team, the Wayne County Chiefs Association, Co-Chair of the Western Wayne County Chiefs Emergency Management Committee, Michigan Educators Association, and Advocates for Police and Community Trust.

Pfannes joined the Westland Police Department in 1982 after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in industrial supervision and management from Central Michigan University. Pfannes has served the Westland community as a police officer, evidence technician, detective, special investigations unit commander, SWAT commander, and executive level administrator. He has also served on a number of multi-agency task forces that have operated in the region. His career has included seventeen years of progressive supervisory and administrative experience. During his 25 years of service, he has received numerous citations and commendations for his role in major crime investigations including homicide, rape and robbery.

While working on the Westland police force, he also worked on his graduate program studies. He received his Masters degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Detroit and graduated from the Police School of Staff and Command from Eastern Michigan University and Northwestern University.

In addition to developing his officers in Westland, Chief Pfannes also develops future police officers as an educator. He is an assistant adjunct professor at Madonna University in Livonia where he teaches both undergraduate and graduate level courses in Criminal Justice. Pfannes was named “Most Influential Instructor” by the Wayne County Regional Police Academy, and he also teaches courses on Juvenile Justice at Schoolcraft College.

Pfannes, 47, is married and has two daughters