KENT COUNTY, Mich. - A new sheriff has been appointed in Kent County. Thursday, Sept. 27, the county announced Undersheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young will fill the unexpired term of Sheriff Larry Stelma.
According to a media release from the county, two people applied for the position - Undersheriff LaJoye-Young and Lt. Marc Burns. A committee voted unanimously to appoint LaJoye-Young.
"The committee appreciates both candidates interest in the position and their commitment to law enforcement,” said Kent County Chief Probate Judge David M. Murkowski. “Lt. Burns has served the Kent County Sheriff’s Department well and has an impressive resume.”
Stelma retires on Nov. 1. He was elected sheriff in 2000 and has been re-elected four times. He wrote in a letter in August that the decision to step down weighed heavy on his heart.
LaJoye-Young will be officially sworn in on Friday, Nov. 9.
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