Staff Biographies

Staff Biographies

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Chief Danielle Haynes

Danielle Haynes was appointed to Chief of Police on March 1, 2020. Danielle has been serving the Big Rapids community for the past 18 years. She began her career with the Big Rapids Department of Public Safety in October 2002 after graduating from the Michigan Police Corp Academy, held on the campus of Ferris State.

Danielle was born and raised in Marquette Michigan. She graduated in 2001 from Northern Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. Danielle knew at a young age that she wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement in part because of the relationship she and other young students had with their D.A.R.E. officer. She recognizes how important it is as chief to help foster those same relationships with the department officers and community.

Danielle began her journey in law enforcement as a patrol officer before accepting a special assignment with the multi-jurisdictional drug team. After four years on the team, she returned to her patrol assignment with new knowledge, confidence, and a drive for leadership. She was promoted to Sergeant on July 13, 2014, and then to Deputy Director of Police on November 12, 2018. Both Danielle and her husband live and work in the Big Rapids community where they are also raising their young daughter. She takes the department's mission statement to heart and believes in working together with the community to make Big Rapids a safe place to live, work, learn and visit.




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Detective Tyler Haynes

It wasn’t until a ride-a-long with a family friend in 2002 that Tyler realized, Law Enforcement was his calling.  Shortly after enrolling at Ferris State University in 2003 Tyler made a slight detour and headed to the Marine Corps recruiter’s office.  Tyler enlisted in 2004 in the United States Marine Corps Reserves.  He continued his education at Ferris until he was deployed to Fallujah, Iraq in 2006.  During an ambush while on patrol, Tyler was critically wounded and returned to the states to undergo therapy and surgeries.  He was medically discharged in 2007.  Tyler continued his education earning a Forensic Science Minor and a certificate in Homeland Security Digital Forensics and Security.  In 2009 Tyler graduated from the police academy at Ferris State and started his career with the Mecosta County Sheriff’s Office as a road patrol deputy.  In 2010 Tyler re-enlisted in the Marine Corps and was later selected for the Scout Sniper Platoon.  Tyler graduated from the Marine Corps Scout Sniper School in Camp Lejeune N.C. in 2011 and continued to attend an additional 3 Sniper schools within the Marine Corps, as well as the MCOLES Sniper Instructor Course in Lansing, Mi.  Tyler deployed in 2013/2014 to Sicily, Italy, and again in 2017/2018 to Helmand Province, Afghanistan. 

In 2016 Tyler started at the Big Rapids Department of Public Safety.  He assisted in bringing the TECC (tactical emergency casualty care) program, and the rescue task force model to BRPDS.  Tyler became an instructor in TECC, CPR, Stop The Bleed, an assistant firearms instructor, and an armorer.  In 2019 Tyler was selected to fulfill the role of temporary Detective and is currently assigned as a Detective.




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Officer William Sell – Community Relations/ Crime Prevention

William (Bill) Sell started his law enforcement career in 2010 as a Sheriff’s Deputy in Sarasota County, Florida.  He served that community for 8 ½ years as a deputy and received a Life-Saving Award in 2017.  In addition to being a patrol deputy, Bill was a highly respected Field Training Officer.  He supervised and trained incoming recruits for 5 years. Since his move to Big Rapids in 2018, Bill has enjoyed serving as a Big Rapids Department of Public Safety Police Officer and Field Training Officer.  His wife is a teacher in the area and his two sons attend school in Big Rapids.



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SRO Andre Torres

Andre Torres grew an interest in law enforcement at a young age.  Several of his family members served communities across the state as police officers.  Closest to him was his father who served as a Park Ranger as well as a Conservation Officer for the Michigan DNR where he ultimately landed as a Park Interpreter and was most notably known as "Ranger Rick."  Because of this, Andre was able to help his father with many school-oriented presentations regarding wildlife and the rules and regulations surrounding our natural world.  This led Andre to his choice of career.

In 2012, he began attending Northwest Michigan College in Traverse City where he completed the police academy and graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice.  In November 2015, he joined the Big Rapids Department of Public Safety as a patrol officer and served in that role for almost five years.  Andre currently serves as the department's School Resource Officer where he works at developing positive mentoring relationships with students.  He works closely with school staff to provide a safe and secure school environment.