The Honorable Warren C. Evans
Wayne County Executive
Wayne County, MI
Warren C. Evans became Wayne County Executive on Jan. 1, 2015 after winning election on a campaign of bringing transparency, fiscal responsibility and ethical leadership to Michigan’s largest county. A public servant in Wayne County for more than four decades, Mr. Evans is a highly effective leader who has established a reputation for achieving results through efficiency, innovation, and strategic collaboration.
Mr. Evans’ career began as a jail deputy for the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office. He worked his way through the ranks where he served in nearly every leadership position. He made department history by becoming the youngest-ever lieutenant at the age of 28. From 1987 through 1991, he used his transformational leadership style to guide the department as its undersheriff, the second-highest position in command. In 2003 he was appointed sheriff and Wayne County residents, elected him sheriff in in consecutive terms in 2004 and 2008.
Mr. Evans was appointed Assistant County Executive by then-Wayne County Executive Ed McNamara. As one of his responsibilities he was charged with averting legal action by the U.S. Department of Justice against the county’s Department of Community Justice. Not only did Evans avert the legal action, his leadership is recognized today as a national model.
Evans also served as Chief of Special Operations in the Wayne County Prosecutor’s office and as the Director of Administration for the Wayne County Board of Commissioners. In 2009, he drew on his experiences in law enforcement to turnaround the Detroit Police Department at its chief. In one year, he implemented an innovative community-policing model that led to a 27-percent drop in violent crime and a 25-percent improvement in police response time.
Executive Evans earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in social science from Madonna University, a Masters of Arts degree in criminal justice from the University of Detroit, and a Juris Doctor degree from Detroit College of Law.