Editor’s note: “Where Are They Now” is a Muscatine Journal series written by former Muscatine Journal editor Gil Dietz, who welcomes comments and suggestions. You can contact him at 563-263-5499 or  gvdietz@machlink.

RENO, Nevada – Muscatine native Michael (Mike) Haley is the sheriff of Washoe County, a huge area in Nevada

“With full and part-time personnel, I have 848 authorized staff working and my service area is over 6,000 square miles,” Haley said in an interview.

“I have three helicopters and two substations. My jurisdiction starts at Lake Tahoe (south of Reno), and ends at the Oregon border.”

Mike, 57, has spent his adult career in law enforcement. He has been in Reno since 1980 and will have his 30th anniversary in the sheriff’s department later this year. He worked through the ranks of the sheriff’s department before being elected in November 2006 to a four-year term as sheriff beginning Jan. 1, 2007

Haley is a 1971 graduate of Musca-tine High School. His father, Raymond Roy Haley, is deceased and his mother, Mary Haley, lives in Davenport.

“My father died when I was 19 years old,” Haley said. “I give a lot of credit to George Lindle and his wife, Virginia, for mentoring me when I was a young man. They gave me advice and encouragement, and the desire to succeed. Muscatine was a fabulous place to grow up and I met so many good people there.”

Haley was in the U.S. Army before attending Northeast Missouri State University at Kirksville, Mo., where he graduated with honors with a

bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 1978. He also worked as a police officer with the Kirksville police department while attending college. He continued his military service in the Army Reserves after moving to Reno, attaining the rank of First Sgt. before leaving the Reserves in 1992.

Prior to his election as Sheriff, Haley served in the position of Undersheriff and had responsibility for day-to-day operations of the entire agency. “I had a variety of assignments in patrol, detectives and detention. I was a member of the Sheriff’s SWAT team, eventually becoming the SWAT Captain,” he said.

A major portion of Haley’s career has been as a supervisor. He has held command positions in the administration bureau, patrol, detention and detective divisions.

In recent years, Haley has had a number of additional education and training opportunities. He graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va., in 2000. He also graduated from the Senior Manage-ment Institute for Police Executives at Harvard University in 2004, the Southwest Command College for law enforcement executives in 2005, and the U.S. Secret Service Academy in 2006.

Haley is an active member of the community and is on the board of directors for the Children’s Cabinet of Reno and the board of directors for the Girl Scouts of Northern Nevada. He is also a Rotarian. He is a member of the Governors Metham-phetamine Task Force, president of the executive board of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Association, second vice president of the Nevada Sheriff’s and Chief’s Association, and president of the executive board of the Regional Public Safety Training Center.

“I am active in the community, and serve on various boards to commissions, as a part of being able to communicate with the public,” Haley said.

“Our mission in the sheriff’s department is to serve the residents of Washoe County, consistently earning the public’s confidence by providing a safe and secure community …”

Mike and his wife, Laurie, have been married for 27 years. They have two sons working in public service. Steve, 25, is a deputy sheriff in Douglas County, Nev., and Brian, 24, is a fireman in Lake Tahoe.