Re-elect Washoe County Sheriff Mike Haley on November 2

Biography

Michael Haley was elected Sheriff of Washoe County on November 7, 2006, taking office on January 2, 2007. He is only the second Sheriff in over 64 years to be promoted through the ranks and assume the command position.

Sheriff Haley has an extensive background in all areas of the Sheriff’s Office. He began his career as a Deputy in 1980; he has worked in and supervised every division within the Sheriff’s Office including Administration, Detectives, Patrol, and Detention. He has additional experience in the Training and Civil Sections and was a member of the Child Homicide Task Force. During his tenure on the SWAT Team, he quickly rose through the ranks from team leader to SWAT Commander. He has taught numerous classes at the Regional Training Academy and Truckee Meadows Community College. 

A majority of Mike Haley's law enforcement career has been in a command or supervisory position with a major focus on budgetary restraint and responsibility. In 2001, he was recognized for his suggestion to identify and recover federal reimbursements, which generated a net savings to the County of $814,909 in the first twelve months of adoption. It continues to be an active program and is currently estimated to generate approximately $1 million in net savings. Through his efforts, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office has generated over $15 million in grants.

Since taking over command of the Sheriff’s Office, Michael Haley has made great strides in bringing the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office to the forefront of high-tech law enforcement standards. He is responsible for the building of the Northern Nevada Counter-Terrorism Center at the WCSO. This state-of-the-art facility provides crime analysts the means to research and evaluate crime statistics throughout our region and coordinate efforts with other law enforcement agencies. Sheriff Haley has just concluded a cyber-crimes building project.

Sheriff Haley has also implemented a technologically advanced method of reporting, tracking, and analyzing crime statistics entitled Area Crime Evaluation System (ACES). This Compstat-based system provides a way for all the divisions of the Sheriff’s Office to share information about current crime trends. Put into action in July 2007, ACES has already increased communication among staff members that, in turn, has increased the ability to fight crime throughout Washoe County.

Michael Haley was born and raised in farming communities in the Midwest. He was honorably discharged from the United States Army as a First Sergeant. He graduated with honors from Northeast Missouri State University with a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice while being employed at the Kirksville Police Department. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the Secret Service Academy, the Senior Management Institute for Police Executives at Harvard University, and the Southwest Command College for Law Enforcement Executives.

In addition to his duties as Sheriff, he serves as an executive board member for the Nevada Commission on Homeland Security, the Governor’s Task Force on Methamphetamine Use, the Nevada Technological Crime Board, and Nevada High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program. Sheriff Haley contributes to the community at large by serving on the Board of Directors for the Girl Scouts of America. 

Sheriff Haley has been married for 28 years to Laurie. They have two sons, Steve and Brian. Steve is a deputy sheriff in Douglas County and Brian is a seasonal fire fighter for the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District in Incline Village.