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Alyshia Dyer's childhood and background were marked by adversity and encounters with the criminal justice system. Alyshia’s family, who immigrated from Poland to Michigan three generations ago to work in the factories in Detroit, taught Alyshia the importance of hard work and looking out for others in crisis.  Growing up in Ypsilanti, Michigan, she experienced periods of homelessness as a juvenile runaway which deeply influenced her perspective on the importance of community support and social justice. Her personal encounters with law enforcement exposed her to both respectful and harmful treatment by officers, leaving a lasting impact. 

 

Motivated to serve the community, Alyshia completed her training at the police academy and served as a road patrol deputy at the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office.  During her ten years as a Deputy Sheriff, she finished her undergraduate degree at Eastern Michigan University. During this time many young people she knew were killed due to gun violence, and her understanding of how our systems were criminalizing childhood, poverty, and mental health led her to pursue policy and social work degrees. 

 

In addition to earning advanced degrees from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and the School of Social Work at the University of Michigan, she gained administrative experience working at the Civil Rights Office in Detroit. She served on the Equity Council leading the criminal justice committee, and worked for MOSES, a Michigan based nonprofit, as a lead Health Justice Organizer. 

 

Alyshia's decision to run for Sheriff stems from her passion for public service and her understanding of how the local legal system can impact people’s lives in Washtenaw County. She will use her more than a decade of experience to create a Sheriff's Office that will protect our community, our children, and our workers. On the heels of Sheriff Clayton retiring, Alyshia will bring a fresh vision and new leadership to this role to ensure our community safety. 

  

Together, we can do this!

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- Friends of Alyshia Dyer