Courtesy Photo Alcona Sheriff Scott Stephenson speaks at the fall Michigan Sheriff’s Association fall conference.

HARRISVILLE — Alcona County Sheriff Scott Stephenson was recently sworn in as the president of the Michigan Sheriff Association board of directors, giving a voice to Michigan counties with small population sizes.

Stephenson has been on the board of directors for the past three years. He was originally chosen to represent district two, which makes up the counties of the northern lower peninsula, from Alcona stretching west to Lake Michigan and north to the Mackinac Bridge.

Stephenson said that when he first joined the board three years ago, he learned that there is a progression of roles, and he would eventually become the president of the board. This year, he served as the vice-president. He will officially start his one-year term as president on Jan. 1.

“It’s something I knew was coming up,” Stephenson said. “What I didn’t know when I got on the board three years ago was that that progression would happen.”

As president, he hopes to give a voice to smaller counties in Michigan.

“The big thing for me is to be a voice for the smaller counties,” Stephenson said. “I’m looking out for the small guys in county government.”

While his focus will be counties with small population sizes, Stephenson is tasked with addressing the needs of all 83 sheriff’s offices in Michigan.

One issue he hopes to address is retaining officers in the wake of large pay increases to the Michigan State Police.

He also believes that victims of crime are not looked out for well enough by Michigan’s justice system, and he hopes to help remedy that.

“I’d like to see anything that helps improve that,” Stephenson said. “Looking out for the victims has got to be foremost.”

He would like to visit as many sheriff’s offices as he can in person to see how they run things.

“There’s still quite a few out there I haven’t been to,” Stephenson said.

The board of directors meets once a month over video call and hosts a conference twice a year that is attended by sheriff’s offices statewide. As president, Stephenson will be in charge of planning and finding speakers.

Each of Michigan’s five sheriff’s association districts holds four meetings a year, and Stephenson said he hopes to attend at least one of those meetings in person for each district.

The board of directors also visits Lansing once or twice a year to meet with legislators and push for funding initiatives.

The board of directors will attend at least one nationwide conference next year as well, Stephenson said.

“It’s gonna be a busy year…it’s a big deal for a small town county sheriff,” he said.

Reagan Voetberg can be reached at 989-358-5683 or rvoetberg@TheAlpenaNews.com.