Craig Mast

Sheriff Craig Mast has been employed with the Oceana County Sheriff’s Office in Michigan since 1993 and was elected Sheriff in November of 2016. He earned a BS in Criminal Justice from Western Michigan University. Sheriff Mast has served on the Cove Task Force Against Domestic Violence since 2008 and was selected as Cove “Officer of the Year in 2015. He has also been a member of the Oceana County System of Care since its inception. Sheriff Mast has been a youth football coach and a girl’s assistant varsity softball coach. He is an active NRA member. Sheriff Mast and his wife Carol reside in Hart and have two grown children. His daughter, Haley, is an occupational therapist and is married to a Deputy Sheriff from a neighboring county. His son, Mitchell, is a Deputy Sheriff in a different county.

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What is your current position?

I am currently the elected Sheriff for Oceana County, Michigan. I’m just finishing my second term and about to start my third term.

What inspired you to choose this career path?

I have been inspired by some very good men who were officers before I was. They were friends of the family and performed a noble job in the community. They were thought of highly for their years of service. I made a big impression on me and my career choices.

How did you hear about the Claremont Institute?

I learned about it from a neighboring county Sheriff, Kim Cole, from Mason County. He spoke very highly of it and suggested that I apply.

What is your fondest memory of the Claremont Institute?

The connections that I’ve made with the staff and other participants in invaluable. We have continued to stay in touch and even run issues past each other even though we are hundreds of miles apart.

What do you think will make The Claremont Institute Sheriffs’ Fellowship unique and relevant in the years to come?

The Claremont Institute’s ability to explain and help understand The Constitution and the forethought of the founding fathers. Their principles of making the office of sheriff a constitutional position was thinking that was years ahead of its time. The fellowship teaches sheriffs what an oath to The Constitution really means and stands for.

Who would the individual be and what timeless issues would you discuss, if you could have a sit-down conversation with an historic figure from Michigan’s founding?

Charles Mears, he was a lumber baron, businessman, state senator and philanthropist. He was involved in the development of Michigan on several different layers. He developed several communities and donated land to the state to be used as State Parks, some of which still bear his name. I would very much like to have a conversation with him about land management and future best practices.

What would the artifact be, if you could hold one piece of history from the early founding of our country and why?

The Declaration of Independence is the artifact that I would like most to hold as an expression of its importance in guiding our new country and how important it has been through the years afterwards. There are other artifacts that symbolize issues in our country, but I’d choose the Declaration of Independence.

What qualities do you believe are necessary for effective leadership?

I can think of several items that are usually mentioned, such as integrity and honor, but I’d like to mention something not so often mentioned. The idea of “staying in one’s own lane” is important to me. As the elected county sheriff, I often must remind myself that my lane is safety for my residents and visitors and security for their possessions and property. So, safety and security. I need to do everything I can do to ensure those simple principles to make life better in Oceana County and make me the best leader I can be.

What do you believe is the greatest challenge currently facing America?

The current political divide in our country is something that cannot be ignored, we need to come together as a country and treat each other with more civility. That is not to say we always need to agree, but we need to treat everyone with the respect they deserve.

Do you have a favorite quote? Why does it resonate with you?

“Put your trust in God, my boys, but mind to keep your powder dry.“

I think this encourages us to keep the faith in God but makes us be prepared to take actions into our own hands when required to do so.

What is the most distinctive attribute/character of the people in Michigan’s Oceana County you genuinely admire?

I am so very fortunate to be the elected Sheriff in Oceana County as I am completely surrounded by good people. The people here still honor a hard day’s work and treat Law Enforcement Officials with the appropriate respect. So, hardworking, honest, loyal and resiliency are what make up the people of West Michigan.

What do you believe are the top three law enforcement issues currently facing America?

Drugs – Methamphetamine is a scourge to our country and community.

Homelessness – This is a difficult problem all over and brings difficult issues with it.

Civil Unrest – The political and ethnic divide in our country is real and needs to be addressed.

What do the words, “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” mean to you?

To me that means that we have the ability to pursue those things, not that they are owed to us but that they are possible if we make them happen.

What would you say, if you could communicate one thing to politicians and Americans alike about the importance of policing?

We are still very fortunate to live in the USA, without policing and law and order our civilization would look much like third world countries we see in complete upheaval. Those who wanted to “Defund the police” did not truly know what they were asking for in my opinion.

What brings you peace of mind at the end of a stressful day?

This answer may seem so trivial and simple to some but going home to my wife, kids and my dog are what brings me joy every day.