Editorial: Wilson should be appointed next sheriff

Mason County Undersheriff Derrek Wilson

Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole will retire Oct. 30, concluding more than 41 years with the Mason County Sheriff’s Office, including nearly 14 years as sheriff. His retirement will create a vacancy in one of the county’s most important elected offices, with more than two years remaining in the current term.

Undersheriff Derrek Wilson is the obvious choice for the next sheriff of Mason County. Wilson has the experience, qualifications and institutional knowledge to provide continuity in the department’s leadership. The committee responsible for filling the vacancy should move forward with his appointment without unnecessary delay.

The responsibility for filling that vacancy belongs to a three-member committee consisting of Probate Judge Jeffrey Nellis, County Clerk Cheryl Kelly and Prosecuting Attorney Beth Hand.

Michigan law is straightforward about the appointment.

Under Michigan Compiled Laws 168.209(2), the presiding or senior probate judge, county clerk and prosecuting attorney are responsible for appointing a suitable person to fill a vacancy in the office of sheriff.

The statute does not require a formal search, public advertising, a designated application period or interviews with multiple candidates. Those procedures are decisions made by the appointment committee, not requirements specifically imposed by the vacancy statute.

The committee has elected to accept applications through Oct. 30, followed by a review period and interviews tentatively scheduled for early December.

There is a legitimate question about whether that timetable is necessary.

The office of sheriff is not simply another county administrative position. The sheriff oversees road patrol, corrections, court services and several specialized law enforcement operations. The position carries significant responsibility for public safety, personnel management and the administration of the county jail.

Michigan law provides for continuity during a vacancy. Under MCL 51.72, the undersheriff assumes the duties of sheriff until a replacement is appointed and qualified. In Mason County, that responsibility will fall to Wilson.

Wilson is also seeking appointment to the position.

His career includes more than two decades with the Mason County Sheriff’s Office. He began as a reserve deputy, worked in marine patrol and road patrol, became a sergeant in 2013, was promoted to chief deputy in 2017 and was appointed undersheriff in 2018.

During his career, Wilson has been involved in developing the department’s school safety initiatives, coordinating training with school personnel and other emergency responders, and expanding programs that eventually included School Resource Deputies.

He also has spent the past eight years working directly with Cole in the department’s administration.

That experience is a substantial reason for our endorsement. Wilson understands the department, its personnel, its responsibilities and its relationship with other county agencies. He has been directly involved in its leadership and administration and is familiar with the challenges the next sheriff will face.

Cole has publicly endorsed Wilson as his successor and most importantly, he seems to have the respect and support of the citizens of Mason County.

In a September interview with MCP, Cole emphasized the importance of leadership continuity within the department, particularly for deputies and corrections officers responsible for public safety and jail operations.

Cole’s endorsement is significant because of his experience as sheriff and his direct working relationship with Wilson. While that endorsement does not relieve the appointment committee of its responsibility to evaluate candidates, it should carry considerable weight.

The sheriff’s office also has an established history of succession planning. When Cole appointed Wilson undersheriff in 2018, he described the leadership appointments as part of a plan intended to maintain the department’s operations for years to come.

That history is relevant to the current discussion. Wilson’s potential appointment would not be an unexpected change in leadership. Rather, it would be a continuation of a transition that has been anticipated and planned for over several years.

The committee’s decision to advertise the sheriff vacancy also has a reasonable purpose. The opportunity for other qualified individuals to apply may provide additional perspectives and information for consideration. The committee has a responsibility to review applicants fairly and make an informed decision.

However, an open application process does not necessarily require an extended selection process, particularly when there is an experienced and qualified candidate already serving in the department’s second-highest position.

At the same time, an application process should have a clearly defined purpose and an understandable timetable.

The vacancy has been anticipated since Cole formally submitted his retirement notice in September. The committee has known the date of his departure, and the position has been publicly advertised since Oct. 5. Further, Cole, a candidate for the open seat in Michigan’s 32nd Senate District, has publicly discussed his retirement plans for more than a year.

There is little reason for the transition to come as a surprise to county officials.

The appointment is especially consequential because the selected individual will serve until the conclusion of the current term on Dec. 31, 2028. Mason County voters will then have their regular opportunity to select a sheriff in the November 2028 election.

This is not a ceremonial appointment or a short-term assignment. It is a decision about the leadership of a major county law enforcement agency for more than two years.

Wilson’s experience, current administrative role and Cole’s endorsement provide a compelling case for his appointment. He has demonstrated a long-term commitment to the department and has worked directly in its leadership for nearly a decade.

Those qualifications make Wilson the appropriate choice to succeed Cole.

This endorsement does not mean the committee should disregard other applicants or abandon its responsibility to conduct a fair and transparent process. It does mean that the committee should recognize the qualifications of the candidate already serving as undersheriff and consider whether delaying the appointment serves any meaningful purpose.

The central issue is whether the committee can conduct a meaningful, fair and transparent evaluation without extending the transition longer than necessary.

Mason County’s next sheriff will inherit a department responsible for protecting the public, operating the jail, supporting the courts and managing a substantial portion of county government expenditures.

Leadership continuity matters in an organization with those responsibilities.

For more than four decades, Cole has dedicated his professional career to Mason County law enforcement. His departure marks a significant transition for the department. It also presents an opportunity to maintain continuity through a successor who has worked alongside him, helped lead the department and understands its operations.

Mason County Press supports the appointment of Derrek Wilson as Mason County sheriff. We believe he has earned that consideration through his service, experience and leadership.

The appointment committee should complete its evaluation responsibly and transparently, but there is no reason to prolong the process unnecessarily. If no substantial concerns emerge during its review, the committee should move promptly to appoint Wilson.

The law provides the committee with the authority to make this appointment. It should exercise that authority in a timely manner, recognizing that the continued stability and leadership of the Mason County Sheriff’s Office must remain its foremost responsibility.

– RSA

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