PRESS RELEASE – For questions, please contact David Thompson at 989-245-8299. Official announcement will be on 04-25-2012 at the Midland County Services Building, 220 W. Ellsworth Street, Midland, MI 48640 at 11:00 am.

Please release on 04/25/2012

David Thompson to Run For Midland Co. Sheriff

“I have been thinking about running for Sheriff for the past several years and recent events have caused me to reassess my thoughts of what Midland needs in the law enforcement area”, Thompson said.I have the leadership skills, experience, and a proven record to take on this vital responsibility.

A Midland resident for most of his life, Thompson has over 35 years of experience in law enforcement - retiring from the Midland Police Department in 2005 after 25 years of service at the rank of Administrative Lieutenant. Since then he has been a Police Academy Anti-Terrorism and Emergency Response Instructor for Delta College, the Director of Public Safety for the City of Ithaca, and most recently served as the interim Police Chief for the Village of Fairgrove. He co-chaired the Saginaw Valley Traffic Safety Committee for three years; was a member of the state-wide Domestic Violence Response Review Committee in 2008/2009; has been trained as an advanced EMT paramedic and he is currently a certified Firefighter. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and a Master’s degree in Administration degree from Central Michigan University.

Thompson points out that he is the only candidate presently in the running that has managed a law enforcement agency – and says that while the position of Sherriff does not require being a certified police officer – which he is, he believes the public expects a candidate to be current and up-to-date on the skills it takes to work in law enforcement. He is also the only candidate that has law enforcement management experience from outside of the Sheriff’s Office. He thinks this is where his experience will be a much valued benefit to Midland citizens.

Thompson and his wife Jan have four children and belong to St. John’s Lutheran Church where he is involved in the Boy Scouts, youth mission trips, and sings in the choir. He is also a member of the Midland Rotary Club and has been a board member for Members First Credit Union for the past 15 years. In addition, he is a volunteer for the Midland County Search and Rescue Team as well as Midland County Department of Emergency Services.