Tim Donnellon, sheriff of St. Clair County, has received a 2013 Distinguished Alumni
Award from Ferris State University’s College of Education and Human Services.
Donnellon graduated in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and with high distinction. For the last 25 years, Donnellon’s law enforcement career has taken shape in St. Clair County, where he has served as deputy, detective, sergeant and lieutenant before he was elected as sheriff in 2009. Donnellon was re-elected for a second term that started in January.
“Tim Donnellon was selected by the School of Criminal Justice for the Distinguished Alumni Award based on what he has achieved throughout his career,” said Steven Reifert, director of the School of Criminal Justice and interim associate dean of the College of Education and Human Services. “Tim also was chosen based on what he has done to promote the profession, Ferris State University and the School of Criminal Justice.”
In addition to his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Ferris, Donnellon is a graduate of the U.S. Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy – Session 223, and holds a Master of Public Safety degree from Eastern Michigan University.
Donnellon oversees a St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department with daily operations that include criminal investigation, narcotic and patrol divisions of crime that cover 770 square miles of land. He also is responsible for a marine and dive division that covers 110 miles of shoreline, an animal control division and the day-to-day operations of the 491-bed county jail.
A commitment to service – in his community and professionally – is a big part of what has distinguished Donnellon. He serves as the director of the Michigan Sheriff’s Association District 5, vice chair for the St. Clair County Central Dispatch Authority and the St. Clair County Commission on Aging. His service also includes board membership for the United Way of St. Clair County, Michigan Sheriff’s Association and the St. Clair County Suicide Prevention Committee.
Tim and his wife, Amy, have been married for 20 years and are the proud parents of five children, including a set of twins.