Mike Brasfield, Jefferson County Sheriff, today announced his retirement effective at the close of business on March 27, 2009.  

“Serving as Jefferson County’s Sheriff has been a way to actively participate in my adopted community and I have been honored and privileged to serve.” Brasfield, who turned 65 in December, said. “I am proud of what the men and women of the organization have achieved over the last 6 years. However, it is time to step back and allow others to assume command. It is time for me to retire and more thoroughly enjoy my life and family.” Brasfield had told his fellow elected officials, Sheriff’s Office employees, and family and friends of his intention to retire several months ago, but wanted to wait until this spring to make a public announcement. Brasfield’s retirement caps a long public service career in law enforcement.

Brasfield, a University of Washington graduate, began his police career over 41 years ago as a patrol officer in Mercer Island in 1968. A year later he joined the Seattle Police Department and served in a wide range of assignments. His 26 year career with Seattle resulted in a continual progression of increased responsibility and promotions. Brasfield served as a Detective, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, and Assistant Chief. During his career in Seattle he commanded the Downtown Precinct, and later the North Precinct. He also served as the contract Commander of the Washington State Law Enforcement Basic Training Academy. When he retired from Seattle, he was serving as Executive Assistant Chief, the second highest position in the agency at the time.

Upon his first retirement in 1995 Brasfield, a long time Seattle resident (and then son-in-law of the late Seattle newspaper columnist Emmett Watson) purchased property in the Port Ludlow area. He managed to stay retired for 6 months, but was soon recruited to become the Police Chief in Fort Lauderdale, Florida – an agency with 800 employees. Brasfield served as the Chief there for over 6 years. Beginning his tenure in Fort Lauderdale he inherited what the Miami Herald referred to at the time as “a department that had struggled for years with scandals at the top levels, union and political controversy, and budget and staffing woes.” By the time Brasfield retired from Fort Lauderdale in the fall of 2001, the city’s national reported crime rate had dropped from highest in the nation to 25th and relations with the union and the community were on a much stronger footing.

While in Florida he served as President of the Broward County Chiefs of Police and the Chairman of the Broward County Commission on Substance Abuse. Brasfield indicated that he was particularly proud of the positive recognition given him by the minority officers within the police department and of the minority community at large. Brasfield also served as the co-chair of the International Association of Police Chiefs Private Sector Liaison Committee, working with the private security sector on issues ranging from false alarm ordinances to closed circuit television/video systems.

After returning to his retirement home in Port Ludlow in the fall of 2001, Brasfield was approached by the Seattle based non-profit “South Downtown Foundation” to work on programs and strategies to enhance security in the Pioneer Square and International District, and address the impact of the two newly constructed sports facilities on those communities.

In the late summer of 2002, Brasfield chose to re-enter law enforcement, but without having to leave the Olympic Peninsula. He was elected to his first 4 year term as Sheriff and took office on January 1, 2003. He was re-elected in the fall of 2006 by a nearly 80% margin and began his second term on January 2, of 2007.

While serving as Sheriff, Brasfield was first appointed by Governor Gary Locke and then reappointed by Governor Gregoire, to the Washington State Sentencing Guidelines Commission. He was also appointed to, and served as the Chair of the Washington State Board on Law Enforcement Training Standards and Education. His fellow Sheriffs elected him to the Board of the Washington State Sheriffs’ Association, where he served as both the Secretary-Treasurer and Vice-President. Sheriff Brasfield has served on local boards and groups addressing issues such as domestic violence, substance abuse, emergency communications, drug task forces, and regional emergency response. The Sheriff has been awarded “life member” status in the International Association of Police Chiefs and has been very active with the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs on legislative issues.

Brasfield has introduced a number of technological and operational improvements to the Sheriff’s Office during his tenure and is generally credited with “raising the bar” of expectations of Sheriff’s Office employees. Since 2003 the Sheriff’s Office has assumed additional operational responsibilities from other branches of the county in the areas of code enforcement, animal services, work crew and court security. During the last 6 years the new Sheriff’s Office headquarters was completed, and deployment of “less than lethal force” devices, acquisition of in-car portable computers, and enhanced utilization of scarce resources have all taken place.

In the upcoming year the Sheriff and his wife, Laura Eickhoff, plan to do some travel here in the U.S. and abroad. Brasfield’s daughter and her family live in the San Diego area and his son lives and works in South Korea, teaching English.

A temporary appointment to fill the remaining 21 months of Brasfield’s term will be made through a process established in Washington law and the acting Sheriff will serve through the remainder of this year. Undersheriff Anthony “Tony” Hernandez, who at age 39, is widely expected to be asked to step into that position, and to be a candidate for Sheriff in this fall’s mid-term elections. Brasfield has indicated his strong support for Hernandez and had arranged for his attendance at the prestigious Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy. Hernandez, a Port Ludlow resident, is a graduate of the University of Washington and has completed his course work for a Master’s Degree. Hernandez entered law enforcement in 1994 and is an 8 year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office, where he has held several supervisory and management positions. Brasfield stated “That one of the primary responsibilities of any Sheriff or Police Chief is to insure that a qualified successor has been groomed and prepared. I feel unequivocally that Hernandez is that individual.