A New Generation of Leadership for Garfield Township
Chris Barsheff
Chris Barsheff
In 1985 at the age of 11, my family relocated from Fraser, Michigan to the Traverse City area, specifically to a home in Garfield Township. Prior to moving, we enjoyed many family vacations in the area. We particularly enjoyed spending time with extended family, boating and swimming on Silver Lake.
As a kid, I participated in many organized youth sports to include baseball and football. I attended Glenn Loomis Elementary and the Traverse City Junior and Senior High Schools. It was during my senior year of high school in 1992 when I decided to try the sport of ice hockey and continued playing in our local men’s league for many years.
After high school, I stayed local and attended Northwestern Michigan College and pursued a degree and career in Law Enforcement by attending the police academy. In 1993 for approximately 3 years, I volunteered time in the community as a Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Department Reserve Deputy. 1996 was a memorable year. Not only was I hired as a regular full time Deputy with GTSD, I also married my wife, Suzy, who I have been married to for 24 years.
Living in our community for many years, we quickly realized the area was a perfect place to raise a family. We were blessed with our son in 2001 and daughter in 2004. Living in Garfield Township gave us a strong sense of safety and community and provided us with nearby access to a high quality school system, outstanding medical care and great businesses to shop at for our everyday needs, everything a young family could hope for.
I officially began my public service career in Law Enforcement in 1996 with the Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office. I am currently employed full time with the agency as a Captain in the Corrections Division where I oversee a nearly 6 million dollar budget and roughly 50 employees.
Prior to my June, 2019 assignment in the Corrections Division, I worked in our Law Enforcement Division for nearly 23 years where I had the opportunity to participate in many job assignments. In the Patrol Division, I performed general patrol duties to include work as a Community Police Officer in East Bay and Garfield Townships. I found Community policing to be particularly rewarding as it involves a significant amount of problem solving, community engagement and proactive efforts.
I spent nearly half of my career in the Law Enforcement Division’s Detective Bureau as a Detective Sergeant. I was responsible for supervising Detectives who investigated major cases in the county and provided oversight of our agency Crime Laboratory. I enjoyed the often tedious crime scene investigations that I participated in that required organizational skills and thoroughness. Working with highly trained officers on some of the most complex and sensitive cases was definitely rewarding.
Throughout my career, I was fortunate to promote through the various ranks to include Sergeant and Lieutenant. I gained a tremendous amount of knowledge and skills related to supervision and administration. The various positions and opportunities were achieved through my hard work, passion and dedication.
I was involved in the creation of highly regarded active shooter/emergency preparedness course, which is regularly presented throughout the county to citizens, retail businesses, religious organizations, health care organizations, financial service organizations and members of local government. I additionally created our agency (UAS) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Program, which I currently oversee and participate in as an FAA licensed UAS Pilot.
Following are details related to my current Law Enforcement Career and employment with Grand Traverse Sheriff's Office:
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE & ACHIEVEMENTS
• June 2019 - Present Captain (Corrections Division)
• April 2019 - Present Instructor (NCBRT) Louisiana State University
• April 2019 - Present FAA Remote Pilot Certificate (UAS Operator)
• May 2014 - June 2019 Lieutenant (Field Services Division)
• Dec 02 – May 2014 Detective Sergeant (Investigative Services Division)
MSA “MISSION Team” Investigator (Dec 07 – Present)
Teamsters Sergeants Union Steward (Nov 06 – June 2010)
• Nov 02 – Dec 02 Sergeant (Field Services Division)
• Sept 96 – Nov 02 Deputy (Field Services Division)
Eastbay Township Community Police Officer (Feb 99 – Aug 02)
Garfield Township Community Police Officer (Aug 02 – Nov 02)
Field Training Officer (April 99 – Nov 02)
• Jan 96 – Sept 96 Deputy (Recreations Vehicle Division)
• June 93 – Jan 96 Reserve Deputy (Field Services Division)
PERSONAL VOLUNTEER & COMMUNITY WORK
• 2017 Freedom Builders (Construction Volunteer – 2 Days 16hrs)
• 2010 – 2012 Traverse City Little league (Youth Baseball Coach)
• 2007 – 2014 Grand Traverse Hockey Association (Youth Hockey Coach)
• 2008 – 2011 (TBAYS) Traverse Bay Area Youth Soccer (Coed & U10 Soccer Coach)
• 2010 Season Grand Traverse County (Youth Baseball Coach)
• 2008 – 2009 American Legion (Youth Baseball Coach)
• 2007 Boy Scouts of America (Merit Badge Training)
• 2006 Season YMCA (Coed Youth Soccer Coach)
EDUCATION
• 2005 Eastern Michigan University (Gaylord, Michigan)
School of Police Staff and Command
• 1995 Northwestern Michigan College (Traverse City, Michigan)
Graduated with Associates Degree in Applied Science
Successful completion of Law Enforcement In-Service Training Course
• 1992 Traverse City Senior High School (Traverse City, Michigan)
Graduated with Honors
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
• 2019 Michigan Sheriff’s Association Summer Thompsonville, Michigan
Conference (8hrs), CIT mental Health, Autism
Awareness & Agency Mental Health Awareness
• 2018 Decision Support Analytics (24hrs) Traverse City, Michigan
New World/Tyler Technologies
• 2018 FAA Part 107 Pilot Test Prep (16hrs) Traverse City, Michigan
Northwestern Michigan College
• 2018 Campus Emergencies Prevention, Response Interlochen, Michigan
& Recovery (MGT-324), NCBRT Louisiana
State University
• 2018 Reunification / Family Assistance Center Traverse City, Michigan
Training Workshop (8hrs) ilove u guys Foundation
• 2018 NTOA (National Tactical Officers Assoc.) Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Fall conference (5 Day Seminar)
Incident Debriefs, ICS for Patrol and
LE UAS Integration/Policing UAS (8hrs)
• 2018 Critical Decision Making for Complex Traverse City, Michigan
Coordinated Attacks (2 Day Seminar)
NCBRT Louisiana State University
• 2018 North American Active Assailant Conference Troy, Michigan
(2 Day Conference on mass shooting incidents)
• 2017 Community Policing: Winning Back Your Traverse City, Michigan
Community (2 Day Course)
• 2017 Michigan Emergency Management Association Boyne Falls, Michigan
Annual Conference, Presenter on Active Shooter
• 2017 UAS Familiarization (8hrs) Traverse City, Michigan
Northwestern Michigan College
• 2017 NTOA SWAT Command Training (5 Day Course) Mason, Michigan
• 2017 ALERRT - Active Shooter Event Response, Dearborn, Michigan
ASER Training
• 2016 Advanced Critical Infrastructure Protection Traverse City, Michigan
Seminar (Texas A&M University)
• 2016 Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Traverse City, Michigan
Awareness Seminar (Texas A&M University)
• 2016 Pre-Active Assailant Risk Assessment seminar Gaylord, Michigan
• 2015 Jurisdictional Threat and Hazard Identification Traverse City, Michigan
Risk Assessment (JTHIRA) (2 Day Course)
Texas A&M University
• 2015 LEIN TAC Seminar (8hrs) Gaylord, Michigan
• 2013 WZ Lead Homicide Investigators Pontiac, Michigan
Seminar (5 Day Course)
• 2013 MDT-CAC Seminar (2 Day Course) Traverse City, Michigan
• 2013 Edge FX Basic Diagramming Online Computer Courses
Visual Statement (3 Day Course)
• 2012 (LEELI) Law Enforcement Executive Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
Leadership Institute (5 Day Course)
• 2012 MI Municipal Risk Management Authority Traverse City, Michigan
Controlling through Effective Discipline and
Effective Grievance Processing, Seminar
• 2012 MAGLOCLEN - Cell Phone Analysis Seminar Suttons Bay, Michigan
• 2012 Fox Valley Technical College Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
Amber Alert Seminar (4hrs)
• 2012 Coaching and Mentoring Skills for Managers Grand Rapids, Michigan
and Supervisors, Seminar
• 2011 Michigan Attorney General’s Office Traverse City, Michigan
Enforcing Michigan’s Medical Marijuana Law
• 2011 Cold Case Homicide Investigations Lansing, Michigan
• 2011 Emergency Management Institute Elk Rapids, Michigan
National Incident Management Systems (NIMS)
ICS-300 & ICS-400
• 2010 Emergency Management Institute Online Computer Courses
National Incident Management Systems (NIMS)
ICS-100, ICS-200, IS-00700.a & IS-00800.b
• 2010 Wayne State University Detroit, Michigan
Medicolegal Investigation of Death
• 2009 United States Attorney’s Office Dewitt, Michigan
Investigating and Prosecuting Illegal
Distribution of Prescription Drugs
• 2009 Michigan Sheriff’s Association Gaylord, Michigan
Advanced Mission Training
• 2009 Michigan Prosecuting Attorney’s Assoc. Traverse City, Michigan
Child Death Scene Investigation
• 2008 Michigan Attorney General’s Office Lowell, Michigan
FOIA & Open Records Act Seminar
• 2008 TCCPCAN Traverse City, Michigan
Understanding the Language of Children
• 2008 Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois
Bloodstain Evidence Workshop II
• 2007 Macnlow Associates Lansing, Michigan
Internal Affairs Investigation
• 2007 United States Attorney’s Office Grand Rapids, Michigan
Combating Child Exploitation Seminar
• 2007 Department of Homeland Security Traverse City, Michigan
Surveillance Detection Course
• 2007 Oakland Community College Auburn Hills, Michigan
Serology and Trace Evidence Update
• 2007 Schools Educators Police Liaison Association Traverse City, Michigan
Safe Schools Seminar
• 2006 Michigan State Police Academy Lansing, Michigan
“West Nickel Mines School Shooting”
“Lessons Learned” Case Review Seminar
• 2006 Michigan State Police Academy Lansing, Michigan
“Green River Murders” Case Review Seminar
• 2006 Michigan State Police Grayling Laboratory Grayling, Michigan
Evidence Technician Proficiency Update
• 2005 Ron Smith & Associates, Inc. Lansing, Michigan
Digital Photography Training
• 2005 Michigan Prosecuting Attorneys Assoc. Augusta, Michigan
Forensic Interviewing Of Children Training
• 2005 Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois
Bloodstain Evidence Workshop I
• 2005 Eastern Michigan University Gaylord, Michigan
School of Police Staff and Command
• 2004 Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois
Investigative Photography Workshop II
Crime Scene Technology Workshop II
Crime Scene Technology Workshop I
• 2003 P.H.I. Investigative Consultants, Inc. Detroit, Michigan
Practical Homicide Investigation
• 2003 Macnlow Associates Lansing, Michigan
Police Supervision Training
• 2003 Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois
Investigative Photography Workshop I
• 2003 Schoolcraft College Garden City, Michigan
Crime Scene Evidence Technician Training
• 1999 Laboratory For Scientific Interrogation Traverse City, Michigan
Scientific Content Analysis Seminar
• 1999 Unlocking Potential Institute Michigan
Defusing the Irate Citizen Seminar
• 1999 John E. Reid and Associates Michigan
Reid Technique of Interviewing & Interrogation
• 1999 Washtenaw Community College Ann Arbor, Michigan
Field Training Officer Course
• 1998 Michigan State University Traverse City, Michigan
Police Traffic Accident Investigation I
• 1997 Michigan State University Traverse City, Michigan
Community Policing Training
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
• 2015 Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office Letter of Commendation, TCPD Investigation
• 2012 Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office Letter of Commendation, Kingsley
Northwestern Bank Robbery investigation
• 2011 Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office Letter of Commendation, Homicide Invest.
• 2011 Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office Letter of Commendation, Assistance Provided
To The Traverse City Police Department during a Homicide Invest.
• 2011 Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office Letter of Commendation, CSC & Possession of
Child Pornography Investigation
• 2010 Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office Letter of Commendation, Assist to Public
• 2009 Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office Letter of Commendation, Home
Invasion/CSC/Assault Investigation
• 2009 TBA ISD Letter of Commendation, Participation in Region #5 Skills USA Competition
• 2009 Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office Letter of Commendation, Positive Citizen
Contact (Kingsley High School Superintendent)
• 2008 Grand Traverse County Prosecuting Attorneys Office Letter of Commendation,
Homicide Investigation
• 2008 Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office Letter of Commendation, Homicide Invest.
• 2008 Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office Letter of Commendation, Homicide Invest.
• 2007 TBA ISD Letter of Commendation, Participation in Boy Scouts of America Training
• 2007 Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office Letter of Commendation, Homicide Invest.
• 2007 Citizen Letter of Commendation, Suicide Investigation
• 2006 Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office Employee of the Year Award
• 2005 Northwestern University (Evanston, IL), Criminal Forensics Award of Achievement
• 2005 Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office Letter of Commendation, Assist Related to
East Lansing Police Department’s Homicide Investigation
• 2005 Grand Traverse Sheriff’s Office Letter of Commendation, Armed Robbery Invest.
• 2004 Sterling Heights Police Department Letter of Commendation, Homicide Invest.
• 2004 Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office Letter of Commendation, Multi-Jurisdictional
B&E Investigations
• 2003 Citizen Letter of Commendation, Job Shadow
• 2002 Traverse City Police Department Letter of Commendation, Theft Investigation
• 2002 Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office Letter of Commendation, MDOP Investigation
• 2000 Citizen Letter of Commendation, Accident Investigation
• 2000 East Bay Township Fire Department, Award of Appreciation
• 2000 Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office Letter of Commendation, LSPDA/B&E Invest.
• 2000 Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office Letter of Commendation, Larceny Invest.
• 2000 Grand Traverse Prosecuting Attorneys Office Letter of Commendation, Fraud Invest.
• 1999 Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office Letter of Commendation, Barricaded/Suicidal
Gunman Investigation
• 1999 Wexford County Sheriff’s Department Letter of Commendation, Assist Bank Robbery
& Shooting Investigation
• 1998 Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office Letter of Commendation, Fraud Investigation
• 1998 Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office Letter of Commendation, Attempted Home
Invasion Investigation
• 1998 The Traverse Narcotics Team Letter of Commendation, Cocaine Possession Invest.
• 1996 Grand Traverse Sheriff’s Office Letter of Commendation, Attempted Suicide Invest.
In May 2014, I was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in the Sheriff’s Office Law Enforcement Division. The position is funded by Garfield Township and primarily involves the oversight of the township funded Sheriff’s Deputies/Detective and agency community policing program.
Utilizing officers assigned to the township, I organized proactive efforts in the areas of crime prevention and prioritized safety and building strong community relationships with citizens, community groups, neighborhood associations and area businesses.
I assisted township staff in securing grant funds for surveillance equipment installed at the park on East Silver Lake Road and electronic bikes for community officers to ride while patrolling through neighborhoods and the expansive recreation trail system, which runs throughout the township. I additionally worked with township officials to purchase several electronic speed monitoring signs which are deployed throughout the township and provide for an efficient and effected way for officers to address traffic concerns.
In April 2019, I was hired as a Subject Matter Expert for Louisiana State University’s National Center for Biomedical Research and Training Center, which is located in Baton Rouge. The organization is nationally recognized for emergency preparedness and response training. I have been fortunate to teach emergency preparedness courses throughout the country to include one of the nation’s largest Indian reservations (Tohono O'odham Nation) located in Sells Arizona. I have provided training for teachers, government employees, local, state and Federal Law Enforcement, and civilians who wish to better prepare themselves for emergencies and disasters. For more information on NCBRT visit: https://www.ncbrt.lsu.edu/about/index.php
I was given opportunities to volunteer in the community for several organizations. I enjoyed spending time as a youth sports coach for the YMCA, American Legion, Traverse City Little League, Grand Traverse Hockey Association, TBAYS and Grand Traverse County. I also enjoyed renovating homes for those in need with Freedom Builders.
Giving back in the community definitely provides a sense of pride and it is important to help various community groups achieve their missions and goals especially when they are far too often lacking in resources.
In my current profession, I had the opportunity to work with numerous community groups on matters related to health, safety and environmental conservation. I plan to continue with those relationships and support the important work that is being done by each.
Garfield Twp Voting Locations:
Precinct 1 - Fire Station #12 - 2025 East Silver Lake Rd N
Precinct 2 - Garfield Township Hall - 3848 Veterans Dr
Precinct 3 - Fire Station #11 - 3000 Albany St
Precinct 4 - Grand Traverse County Bldg - 2650 La Franier Rd
Precinct 5 - First Christian Church - 3686 S Airport Rd West Precinct 6 - County Road Comm. Bldg. - 1881 La Franier Rd