The Sheriff and Undersheriff function as the Executive and Operations Officers of the Sheriff's Office. They are responsible for ensuring that the agency has sufficient personnel and equipment to perform their functions. With ever tightening budgets, they constantly work to keep the department running as efficiently as possible with the resources available.

Sheriff Frank Baker

Frank Baker joined the Allegan County Sheriff’s Office in 1990 as a full-time patrol deputy after serving as a patrol officer for three years with the Wayland Police Department. Frank is a graduate of both Kalamazoo Valley Community College and Western Michigan University, and is a 2004 graduate of the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command.

In 1993 Frank was assigned to the Detective Bureau as a General Case Detective. While a Detective, he was trained as a hostage negotiator and a tactical team member.

Frank was promoted to Detective Sergeant in 2003, and then to Lieutenant later that same year, when he was placed in charge of the Services Division. In January of 2006, he was then assigned as Lieutenant of the Patrol Division, then later promoted to Captain. In early 2015, he was appointed Undersheriff, and subsequently was elected Sheriff, beginning his term in January 2017.

Frank Baker was awarded the Michigan State Police Award for Professional Excellence in 1997. He was selected as Child Advocate of the Year by Safe Harbor in 2001, where he served as a Board Member. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Allegan General Hospital Foundation, Allegan County Legal Assistance Center, and the Allegan County Children's Advocacy Center, where he has served for almost 14 years.

Undersheriff Michael Larsen

Mike Larsen joined the Allegan County Sheriff's Office in 1994 as a Corrections Officer, after completing military service in the United States Navy. In the Navy, he served in the Persian Gulf on board the Aircraft Carrier USS Ranger CV-61.

In 2003, Mike was promoted to Sergeant in the Corrections Division and later that year to Executive Sergeant. As Executive Sergeant, he assisted in implementing the Programs Division, which has several components that serve as best practice models nationally.

In 2007, Mike was promoted to Lieutenant and was assigned to the Services Division of Law Enforcement. After two years, Mike was transferred to the Road Patrol Division and was there until 2012. In 2013, Mike was assigned Captain of the Investigative Services. It is here that he remained until his appointment to Undersheriff in December, 2016.

Mike has received the following awards while serving with the Sheriff's Office: Award for Valor, Lifesaving Award, Deputy of the Year, Meritorious Unit Commendation, and various Letters of Commendation.

Mike is a graduate of the Grand Valley State University Police Academy and the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command.

Captain John Damveld

Captain John Paul Damveld joined the Allegan County Sheriff’s Office in 2006, and was assigned to the townships of Dorr/Leighton; after 2 years of being a patrolman for Wayland City Police Department. Captain Damveld is a Western Michigan University alum, graduating with a Bachelor’s of Liberal Arts degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology.

In 2012, Captain Damveld worked with the multi-jurisdictional narcotics team, West Michigan Enforcement Team, as a detective.  His main role was investigating narcotics, specifically methamphetamine labs. After his time in WeMET, he was assigned to the Traffic Team, and also served in many specialties such as field training officer, a SWAT member, evidence technician, honor guard, and crash reconstruction team.

In 2017, he was promoted to Road Patrol sergeant and supervised the Sheriff’s Office traffic enforcement team; he was also a SWAT squad leader, honor guard leader, crash reconstruction leader, and a Michigan Sheriff’s Association MISSION investigator. In 2022, he was assigned to Administrative Sergeant and shortly after became the road patrol lieutenant. In 2024, he was promoted to Operations Captain supervising road patrol, detective bureau, and corrections.