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Kent County appoints Bryan Muir as next sheriff

Kent County appoints Bryan Muir as next sheriff

Force in Play Grand Rapids, MI local

Sworn in Oct. 8 and in office since Oct. 9, Muir now plans jail operations without the tax increase voters rejected Nov. 3

7 days ago: Sheriff's leaders respond to millage defeat

Overview

Updated 2 days ago

Kent County voters rejected a 20-year jail millage on Nov. 3, 174,341 to 115,998. Sheriff Bryan Muir, sworn in Oct. 8 and in office since Oct. 9, now has to run the jail without the increase he and county officials had proposed.

The measure would have raised the county corrections millage from 0.73 to 0.98 mills. Sheriff's leaders said after the vote that they want to understand voters' concerns. Muir has said he will run for a full term in 2028.

Why it matters

Muir, not voters, will set law enforcement priorities for Michigan's fourth-most-populous county.

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Key Indicators

174,341
No votes on jail millage
Voters rejected the 20-year corrections millage on Nov. 3.
115,998
Yes votes on jail millage
Support fell well short of the no vote in the countywide tally.
25 years
Muir's tenure at the sheriff's office
He joined in 2001 and rose through patrol, investigations, and support services.
First
Female sheriff in Kent County
LaJoye-Young was the first woman to lead the county sheriff's office when she was appointed in 2018.

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People Involved

Bryan Muir
Bryan Muir
Sheriff of Kent County
Sworn in Oct. 8 and in office since Oct. 9. Says he'll run for a full term in 2028; the jail millage he backed failed Nov. 3.
 Michelle LaJoye-Young
Michelle LaJoye-Young
Former Kent County Sheriff
Retired Oct. 9, 2026, after 37 years

Organizations Involved

Kent County Sheriff's Office (KCSO)
Kent County Sheriff's Office (KCSO)
County law enforcement agency
Muir took office Oct. 9; Jason Kelley is undersheriff. Voters rejected the jail millage Nov. 3.

Law enforcement agency responsible for road patrol, investigations, jail operations, and court security in Kent County, Michigan.
Kent County Sheriff Appointment Committee
Kent County Sheriff Appointment Committee
County appointment body
Acted Aug. 18, 2026

The county body that fills a sheriff vacancy between elections.

Timeline

November 2020 November 2026

10 events Latest: 7 days ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Sheriff's leaders respond to millage defeat

    Latest Announcement

    After voters turned down the 20-year jail millage, Kent County sheriff's leaders said they hope to better understand voters' concerns.

  2. Voters reject 20-year jail millage

    Election

    The corrections millage renewal and increase failed 174,341 to 115,998. It would have raised the rate from 0.73 to 0.98 mills.

  3. Fatal Shooting in Algoma Township

    Incident

    Muir gave an update after a son was accused of fatally shooting his mother along Indian Lakes Drive NE. The son was taken into custody.

  4. Muir Details Timeline in Sparta Domestic Shooting

    Incident

    Muir shared new details about a shooting in Sparta where a man shot his mother. The mother survived; the man died of a self-inflicted wound.

  5. Muir scheduled to take office

    Scheduled transition

    Muir's appointment takes effect the day after LaJoye-Young retires.

  6. Muir outlines priorities after taking office

    Announcement

    Muir named public safety, community engagement, transparency, accountability, and innovation as focus areas, and said he plans to run for a full term in 2028. Jason Kelley was sworn in as undersheriff.

  7. Muir Sworn In at Board of Commissioners Meeting

    Transition

    Undersheriff Bryan Muir was sworn in as sheriff and Deputy Jason Kelley as undersheriff during the Oct. 8 Board of Commissioners meeting. Muir's term began Oct. 9.

  8. Sheriff's office launches transparency portal

    Initiative

    KCSO published an online portal showing its use of Flock Safety technology, including automatic license plate readers and search logs.

  9. Muir appointed Kent County sheriff

    Appointment

    The Kent County Sheriff Appointment Committee unanimously picked Undersheriff Bryan Muir to replace retiring Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young.

  10. LaJoye-Young wins election as sheriff

    Election

    Two years after her appointment, LaJoye-Young won a full term as Kent County sheriff.

Scenarios

1

Muir sworn in as Kent County sheriff

Deadline passed (Oct 10, 2026)

Discussed by: Kent County's official announcement

The Oct. 9 transition happens as planned. LaJoye-Young retires, Muir takes the oath, and the sheriff's office keeps the same chain of command it has had since he became undersheriff.

2

Muir runs for sheriff in 2028 and wins

Uncertain Resolves by Nov 30, 2028

Discussed by: No public statement from Muir yet; LaJoye-Young's 2020 run after her appointment is the precedent

Muir files as a candidate in the 2028 election and wins a full term. The race would test whether voters approve of the committee's choice. LaJoye-Young followed the same path after her 2018 appointment.

3

Muir leaves office before the term ends

Unlikely Resolves by End of 2028

Discussed by: No public source predicts this; it is a contingency if Muir resigns, is removed, or wins a different job

Muir does not complete LaJoye-Young's term. A new vacancy would trigger another appointment or election process. This scenario would only matter if an unexpected opportunity or conflict emerges.

4

Muir faces voters in the 2028 sheriff's race

Likely Resolves by Nov 7, 2028

Discussed by: Muir's statement to WOODTV; LaJoye-Young's 2020 run after appointment is the precedent

Muir says he will run for a full term in 2028. The race will test whether voters back the committee's choice, the way they backed LaJoye-Young in 2020.

5

Voters Pass the Jail Millage Increase

Deadline passed (Nov 3, 2026)

Discussed by: Kent County officials, per MLive

The Nov. 3 ballot measure would have raised the corrections millage from 0.73 to 0.98 mills, funding jail operations and modernization. Voters rejected it 174,341 to 115,998, so the county does not get the added revenue.

6

County returns with a revised jail funding measure

Uncertain Resolves by Nov 2, 2027

Discussed by: No public commitment from county officials; sheriff's leaders said they want to understand voters' concerns

After the Nov. 3 defeat, commissioners could put a smaller or shorter jail millage back on a future ballot. Any new measure would need to answer the concerns that sank the 20-year proposal.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2018

LaJoye-Young appointed sheriff (2018)

LaJoye-Young, then undersheriff, was appointed sheriff after the sitting sheriff retired. She became the first woman to lead the Kent County Sheriff's Office and, while in office, the only female sheriff in Michigan.

Then

She won election in 2020 and served until her 2026 retirement.

Now

Her tenure made internal promotion a proven path to the top job in the department.

Why this matters now

Muir is following the same route, from undersheriff to appointed sheriff, without having faced voters.

November 2020

LaJoye-Young wins her first election (2020)

After two years as an appointed sheriff, LaJoye-Young ran for the office and won a full term. She became the first woman elected sheriff in Kent County.

Then

She served through 2026 and retired after eight years in office.

Now

The 2020 result showed that an appointed sheriff can win voter approval and hold the office across multiple cycles.

Why this matters now

Muir now faces the same question LaJoye-Young faced: whether voters will keep him in office when the seat is next on the ballot.

Sources

(11)
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Kent County Government Kent County, MI WOODTV WWMT FOX17 MLive WZZM13 WOODTV Kent County Government MLive MLive