After a 3-month search that reportedly included one top choice turning down the offer, Jackson County Sheriff Daniel Heyns was appointed Director of the Michigan Department of Corrections by Governor Rick Snyder. Sheriff since 2003, Mr. Heyns will join the Department June 1st. Interim Director Richard McKeon will remain with the Department, moving to a role as special advisor to Mr. Heyns.
Sheriff Heyns currently serves as Treasurer of the Michigan Sheriff’s Association Board of Directors and Chair of the Michigan Sheriff’s Coordinating and Training Council. A 30-year law enforcement veteran, Sheriff Heyns has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Michigan , a master’s degree in criminal justice from Michigan State University and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy
The Director-designate spoke broadly of his management style, describing his intentions to direct the department under guiding principles of cost efficiency, public protection, and effective rehabilitation. Although he stated it was too early to describe many specific ideas, Sheriff Heyns said he would tour corrections facilities in other states as a means to determine best practices and ascertain how they are able to achieve lower costs than in Michigan