Candidate Profile: Vincent Gregory For Oakland County Sheriff

Vincent Gregory, a Lathrup Village resident is running for Oakland County Sheriff.

Age: 72
Party affiliation: Democratic Party
Family:Vincent Gregory has been married to his wife Yvonne for over forty years, they are members of Empowerment church in Southfield, Mi., and they live in Lathrup Village, Michigan. The Gregory's have six adult children Lawrence, Troi, Vanessa, Cortney, Kristen, and Vincent II (deceased). They are also the proud grandparents of nine grandchildren - Lawrence "Jay", Kelsey, Elijah, Caiden, Eric, Caleb, Kaylin, Reagan and Kaylie.
Occupation:retired-currently board member with Judson Center. I am a proud Marine who served in Vietnam. I served in the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department for 30 years. Seventeen of those years I served as a Union vice President and then President. I retired as a detective.
Previous elected experience:In 1998, I ran successfully in a special election for Oakland County Commissioner in the 21st District a position I held for ten years. In 2008, I ran for State Representative for the 35th House District and received the highest number of votes of any State Representative candidate in the Michigan House of Representatives —41,000 votes. After serving one term in the House of Representatives, I was elected to the Michigan Senate in 2010. I was selected from among my peers in the Senate Democratic Caucus to serve as Associate President Pro Tempore and Democratic Caucus Whip. I ran for a second term in the Senate and received the highest number of votes of any State Senator Democrat or Republican.
Family members in government:No
Campaign website: https://www.vincentgregoryforsheriff.com

The single most pressing issue facing our state is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.
I believe there are two pressing issues today, Covid-19 and the demand for Police Department accountability.
Covid-19 is a big issue for the Sheriff’s Department because of the County Jail. When elected to Sheriff I will do an inventory of the Jail to see how we are able to handle infections in the jail and work with the County Health department to make sure we are up to date with all the latest resources for combating this deadly virus.
Police Accountability is a big issue currently, As Sheriff I would meet with community leaders, business leaders, church leaders and any other groups that can help to bridge the divide between the Sheriff’s office and the community we serve. I would also require that all patrol personnel wear active body Cameras.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
Transparency-Currently, Oakland County Sheriffs do not wear body cams. This makes it difficult to ascertain the sequence of events when there are questions and/or concerns regarding interactions between officers and citizens. In an effort to increase transparency, I will require the use of body cams at all times.
As a result, when there is a question or complaint regarding officer conduct, if the officer was compliant, an explanation of the department procedures that were followed can be provided in a timely fashion.
In situations where the officer is not in compliance with department procedures, appropriate measures can be taken to address the infraction and hold the officer accountable for the action.
. Community Policing-Increasing transparency, I would like to implement policies that require officers to be more visible in the community which will result in a positive relationship between residents and officers.
When officers are visible and interact with residents, trust is established and officers have a vested interest, and concern for the citizens that they serve because they know the residents.
I would also like the Oakland County Sheriff's Department to be seen more in the Southern end of Oakland County.
I will ensure that qualified individuals receive the elevation that they deserve. A highly qualified, and deserving, African American female was recently promoted to the rank of captain by the current Sheriff. It took twenty years and the release of my platform for this to occur. I will not wait twenty years to promote qualified officers.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
1. Lobbying and securing funding for secondary roads so that the Sheriff’s Departments across the state could increase their support of the Local police Departments
2. As a County Commissioner I was instrumental in keeping Catalpa Oaks a green space instead of becoming another area of condos
3. As a State Representative streamlining the absentee voting process for overseas service members.
4. As a State Senator, being a part of a subcommittee for expanding Medicaid to 600,000 more Michigan residents. I have a history of getting things done.

What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses?
As a Sheriff I would encourage the State to help out businesses through this very tough time.

How will you address the calls for racial justice and police reform?
I would answer the issue of of racial justice and police reform with steps to make the Sheriff's Department more, Transparent I would increase community policing, I would emphasize accountability and Integrity. I would require mandatory training for Deputies in diversity, de-escalation, and conflict management.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:
Integrity, I will enforce lawful executive order from the Governor relating to the Covid-19 Pandemic. The Sheriffs who have publicly declared that they won't comply with the executive orders had a duty to respect and obey the law; they do not have the luxury to select the laws that they will enforce verses those that they choose to ignore.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
I have law enforcement experience, as well as legislative experience, as a result I have built successful relationships with elective officials that will enable me to pursue funding and other endeavors for the Sheriff's department.