By Jennifer Champagne
Managing Editor
Sheila Peters took over this morning as Munising’s chief of police following the retirement of longtime Chief John Nelson, whose last day on the job was Thursday.
The appointment marks a first in Alger County history: Peters is the county’s first female police chief.
“I am very humbled to have the opportunity to continue the legacy and leadership of Munising’s past police chiefs that have set a high standard of excellence for our community,” Peters said. “I am grateful to work alongside such an amazing team.”
Peters, a Munising native, began her career as a licensed medical first responder at Kimberly-Clark before earning her EMT certification in Grand Marais and working for Alger EMS. She joined the county jail and dispatch center in 2001, obtained her paramedic license in 2008 and graduated from the NMU Police Academy in 2004. She advanced through the ranks at the Alger County Sheriff’s Office to lieutenant before retiring in 2023 to join the Munising Police Department under Nelson.
Under Munising’s city charter, the police chief is hired by the city manager. Acting City Manager Ray Anderson executed Peters’ employment agreement and said the process followed city charter procedure.
“The police chief position falls under the authority of the city manager,” Anderson said. “Sheila has the full backing of the department and hopefully the community. She’s doing an outstanding job for the city already, and I think she’ll continue to do great things.”
Alger County Sheriff Todd Brock added, “Sheila is an outstanding choice to be a chief of police. She had a stellar career with the sheriff’s office, and she will do amazing things with the city police department.”
Nelson said Peters “brings a lot of community knowledge, and that’s huge. When you can step into that role already knowing the people, the relationships and the history, that gives you such a leg up. It’s one of the biggest assets you can have in this job.”
Mayor Christine Berry added that Peters has the support of her peers: “She’s definitely the person for the job. She has the backing of her staff, and the dynamic within the department has already been established — and it’s working.”
City Commissioner Rod DesJardins, who has served on the commission for 25 years and was mayor for 20, said, “The city manager’s decision to hire Sheila was absolutely the right one. She’s a competent administrator, a good cop and a proven leader. It’s also a remarkable moment for Munising. We now have women serving as mayor, treasurer, clerk and chief of police at the same time. That’s historic.”