Committee to Elect Jeff Short

04/09/2026

Your Next Sheriff for Ogemaw County — Jeff Short

Jeff Short’s commitment to public service began at a young age while participating in the Midland County Youth Explorers Program under Midland Township Chief Dan Prybyski. At just 12 years old, Jeff knew he was called to serve his community in law enforcement. During his high school years at Bullock Creek, Jeff began gaining real-world experience as a
Marine Deputy with the Gladwin County Sheriff’s Office (1998–2000). He also served as a Reserve Officer with the Coleman City Police Department during that same time—laying the foundation for a
lifelong career in public service.

In 1999, Jeff was hired full-time with the Midland County Sheriff’s Office as a Corrections Deputy, while also volunteering as a Reserve Deputy. His time there was instrumental in shaping his professionalism and dedication to the field. Soon after, he was accepted into the Michigan State Police Academy.

Jeff graduated from the 119th Trooper Recruit School in 2000 and began his career with the Michigan State Police at the West Branch Post. Over the next 25 years, he rose through the ranks, serving in multiple leadership roles and assignments, including Trooper, Detective Trooper, Sergeant, Detective Sergeant, Lieutenant (Assistant Post Command), and First Lieutenant (Post Command of the West Branch Post). He retired honorably in 2025 after 25 years of distinguished service. Following retirement, Jeff continued his dedication to public safety and was sworn in as a Road Patrol Deputy with the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office on October 29, 2025, where he proudly serves today.

A longtime resident of Ogemaw County since 2000, Jeff has lived in Ogemaw Township since 2003. He has been married to his wife, Mary Jo Short-Ehinger, since 2003. They have a beautiful daughter, Shelby Short, who is a freshman at the Ogemaw Heights High School.

With over 25 years of experience in law enforcement, leadership, and community service, Jeff Short is preparing to serve as your next Sheriff in the 2028 election. His commitment remains strong leadership with integrity, serve with purpose, and put Ogemaw County first.

God is Good!

03/06/2026

Mary and I will be volunteering with our fellow brothers and sisters at the the Knights if Columbus Fish Fry tonight. Come on down, say hello, have a great meal, and support one of our local schools. See you there.

02/27/2026

I would like to thank those of you who have already started making donations toward my campaign for the 2028 Ogemaw County Sheriff Election. Your support is appreciated. Since I have already started receiving donations, I wanted to push out some information. All donations/contributions should be addressed to “Committee to Elect Jeff Short” and sent to the registered committee address of 3235 Maes Rd, West Branch, MI 48661. Please ensure the information sent with the donation includes the contributors legal name, address and phone number for my records. Based on the amount of contribution, there may be some additional information in which I will need from you, therefore a phone number to contact you is important.

I look forward to the future election. I look forward to the opportunity to serve YOU!

Please help me like, share and comment on this post.

Jeff

02/27/2026

A great meal and raising money for children’s education in our community.

Join us for our Lenten Fish Fries starting February 20th thru Good Friday, April 3rd from 4:00 - 7:00pm. All proceeds go to St. Joseph Catholic School! Come see all the kids serving you delicious food!

02/27/2026

Ogemaw County Spring Ice Breakup Safety Alert

As temperatures begin to rise across Ogemaw County, ice conditions on our lakes, rivers, and streams are rapidly deteriorating. What looks solid this morning may not be safe by afternoon.

Spring breakup is one of the most dangerous times of the year around the water.

• No ice is safe ice during breakup season.
• Rivers such as the Rifle River are especially dangerous due to strong currents.
• Ice near shorelines weakens first.
• ORVs, snowmobiles, and foot traffic should stay off the ice.
• Keep children and pets well away from the water’s edge.
• Always wear a life jacket near moving water.

Even when air temperatures feel mild, water temperatures remain near freezing. Cold water shock can incapacitate a person in less than a minute.

If someone falls through the ice:

• Call 911 immediately.
• Do NOT attempt to go onto the ice to rescue them.

Let’s work together to keep our families safe during this seasonal transition.

Please share to help spread awareness throughout Ogemaw County.

— Jeff Short

02/07/2026

Proud to be your servant!

01/31/2026

Stop out tomorrow to support Easton & his family, if you are able!

Supporting each other is one of the many things that make our community so special.

If you are able, please consider supporting Easton- each prayer & every donation helps!

Easton Wilson is battling Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy & his family is raising money to purchase a wheelchair lift and help pay medical expenses. Come together at the Horton Township Hall for a pancake & sausage benefit breakfast on February 1st, 2026 from 10am-2pm. For more information, please call Lisa 989-345-0381 or Howie 989-312-0973.

01/25/2026

To the Deputies of Ogemaw County Sheriff's Office. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to our community. Your community sees you and appreciates what you do every day. Outstanding job gentlemen!!!!

Ogemaw County deputies began an investigation Jan. 10 after information and evidence obtained in several traffic stops led them to identify a possible residence in the city of West Branch connected to drug activity.

Ogemaw County deputies initiated an investigation in West Branch, Michigan, following traffic stops that led to a suspected drug trafficking residence.Ogemaw County deputies initiated an investigation in West Branch, Michigan, following traffic stops that led to a suspected drug trafficking residence. (Courtesy/Ogemaw County Sheriff's Department)
According to a Jan. 23 news release from the Ogemaw County Sheriff’s Office, deputies secured and executed a search warrant at the residence and located two kilos of co***ne, fentanyl and he**in inside, along with other evidence indicating drug trafficking activity.

Fi****ms and about $64,000 in cash were also seized.

01/20/2026

Supporting each other is one of the many things that make our community so special.

If you are able, please consider supporting Easton- each prayer & every donation helps!

Easton Wilson is battling Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy & his family is raising money to purchase a wheelchair lift and help pay medical expenses. Come together at the Horton Township Hall for a pancake & sausage benefit breakfast on February 1st, 2026 from 10am-2pm. For more information, please call Lisa 989-345-0381 or Howie 989-312-0973.

01/20/2026

PUBLIC SAFETY NOTICE – ONLINE CHILD PROTECTION

I want to make parents and guardians aware of ongoing concerns regarding the online gaming platform Roblox, which is widely used by children.

There have been reports and documented cases nationwide of sexual predators attempting to exploit minors through online gaming and chat platforms, including Roblox. While Roblox states that it has moderation systems in place and that it cooperates with law enforcement when appropriate, no online platform can guarantee complete protection for children, particularly when chat and social features are enabled.

I strongly encourage parents to:
• Review their child’s devices and accounts to see if Roblox is being used
• Talk openly with their children about online safety, inappropriate content, and communicating with strangers
• Use parental controls, including disabling chat functions
• Consider limiting or discontinuing use of platforms that allow unsupervised interaction with unknown individuals

The potential gaps in monitoring, enforcement, and parental visibility on online platforms reinforce the need for active parental involvement and stronger accountability when it comes to protecting children online.

Keeping our kids safe—online and offline—must always come first

01/15/2026

Jeff Short has proudly called Ogemaw County home since 2000. Born and raised in Midland County, Jeff moved to West Branch to begin his law enforcement career with the Michigan State Police, serving as a Trooper at the West Branch Post.

After 25 years of dedicated service, Jeff retired from the Michigan State Police and continues his commitment to public safety today as a full-time road patrol Deputy with the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office. He is also the CEO of Northern Michigan Arms LLC, a fi****ms training and consultant company based here in Ogemaw County.

Jeff and his wife, Mary, a West Branch native, have been married for 22 years and are raising their daughter, Shelby, who attends Ogemaw Heights High School. Mary is employed at the Highway Brewing Company in West Branch.

With a long family tradition of public service, Jeff Short is committed to protecting our community and leading the Ogemaw County Sheriff’s Office with professionalism, accountability, and integrity.

Please like and share our post to help spread the word.

Photography Credits to:

https://kaylenewalkerphotog.pixieset.com/?fbclid=IwVERDUAPWMl1leHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEetmk_s1Y3aun5TzCXPi-sfXoxjHobA3pgdTfVomIsXgK6Gb950d1AU8hXgdA_aem_GfE2jd4xdpnBSrTqaD78kA

Thank you,
Jeff, Mary, and Shelby Short