Press Release | Office of the Mayor | Westland Police Department Promotes Two New Sergeants; Veteran Sergeant Retires

For Immediate Release | Official Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

36300 Warren Road | Westland, Michigan | 48185

Office 734.467.3200 | Fax 734.422.1230

WWW.CITYOFWESTLAND.COM

Westland Police Department Promotes Two New Sergeants; Veteran Sergeant Retires

Westland, MI (February 20, 2019) - On Tuesday, February 19 the Westland Police Department promoted two police officers, Michael Little and Kameron Sleep, to the rank of Sergeant and said goodbye to long-time serving Sergeant Joseph Bobby.

Sergeant Little has served on the Westland Police Department since 2009 after beginning his law enforcement career with the Hamtramck Police Department, where he served for three years. Little has an Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice from Kirtland Regional Police Academy. He is a member of the Tactical Response Unit, the Wayne County Mobile Field Force Unit and the Westland Police Recruitment Team. Little also serves as a Field Training Officer for new recruits and he serves with his partner, "Hemi" and the Westland Police K9 handler team.

Sergeant Sleep has served the Westland Police Department for 12 years after graduating from the Wayne County Regional Police Academy and obtaining as Associate's Degree from Schoolcraft College. He is a member of the Tactical Response Unit and Sniper Team, the Westland Police Honor Guard and he is a Field Training Officer, Firearms Instructor and a Less Lethal Chemical Munitions Instructor.

Sergeant Joe Bobby is retiring after having served the Westland Police Department for over 20 years. Sergeant Bobby volunteered as a Westland Police Explorer from 1988 to 1993 and then served on both the Hamtramck Police Department and the Redford Police Department. He hired on with the Westland Police Department in 1999. During his years of service he served as a Police Explorer Adviser, Community Police Officer, and a K9 Officer with his partner "Friday" for 8 years. He was a patrol supervisor of Juvenile Crimes in the schools and then a member of the Detective Bureau. He was also an active member of the Westland Police volunteer programs such as the Goodfellows and Kids without a Christmas. Sergeant Bobby received numerous awards over the years, including the Chiefs Award and the Humanitarian of the Year Award from the Michigan Humane Society for rescuing a dog from a burning house and then reviving the dog, savings its life.

"Sergeant Joseph Bobby is a well-respected member of both the Westland Police Department and also the Westland Community. I appreciate his years of dedicated service," commented Chief Jeff Jedrusik. "With the retirement of Sergeant Bobby, there is new opportunity for veteran police officers to take on new leadership roles within our agency. I am confident that both Michael Little and Kameron Sleep are well prepared and will do an excellent job."

"It's always bittersweet to see such a dedicated public servant, such as Sergeant Bobby, retire from our Police Force," commented Mayor Wild. "We wish him the best in his retirement and look forward to the impact of great leadership from our two new Sergeants."

For more information, please call Aubrey Berman at (734)467-3200

Westland, Michigan is the state's 10th largest municipality, with a population of over 84,000 people who exhibit a great deal of pride in their All-American City. Westland has a thriving business community along with beautiful residential areas. The citizens enjoy a wide array of amenities and a quality of life that is second to none.

In 2014, Westland was rated as one of 24/7 Wall Street's America's Best 50 Cities to Live, offering residents and visitors an ideal blend of single-family affordable homes, apartments and condominiums, great schools, and access to numerous outdoor activities. Public safety is delivered by full-service, professional law enforcement and firefighting personnel. Westland Police Department, whose motto is protect and serve, provides emergency dispatch services to four cities and over 100,000 residents; the Westland Fire Department are licensed paramedics who responded to over 9,000 calls for service last year, about 85% being medical based. They never forget their mission of preserving life and property.

Westland is well-known as the premier destination for shopping and dining in Wayne County with hundreds of shops and restaurants anchored by the Westland Shopping Center, one of the country's original four regional malls.

Infinite opportunities are available in Westland for the recreation aficionado including, more than 40 parks and 1,500 acres of trails, a 9-hole golf course, hockey arena, athletic fields, playscapes, a Farmers and Artisans Market and more. One of Michigan's most environmentally friendly cities, Westland has a progressive curbside recycling program with one of the highest participation rates in the nation and the City is raising the bar for cultural experiences with the placement of public art throughout the City.

The City is served by two public school districts; Wayne-Westland Community Schools serving 12,000 youth was recently named one of the Best School in Michigan by WXYZ-TV and is the proud recipient of 14 Golden Apple and two Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards. Livonia Public Schools, educating nearly 15,000 students, is proud of their MEAP/MME scores that exceed state averages and the District has also earned Golden Apple and Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards.

The City provides competitive incentives for those who are interested in investing in Westland, making it one of the hottest investment markets in the region. Our Fast-Track to Business Team, which consists of key decision makers who work diligently on a development plan will "cut the red tape" and expedite the approval process for new business development.