Westland, MI (May, 15, 2019) -
On Monday, May 13, the Westland Police Department promoted four police officers, welcomed three new officers to the force, hired three Police Service Aides who will be sworn in as Westland police officers upon training completion, and said goodbye to long-time serving Lieutenant Daniel Serrano.
The promoted officers listed with their new titles are: Sergeant David Archambeau, Sergeant John Gatti, Sergeant Jeffery Kropodra, and Lieutenant Kevin Swope.
Sergeant Archambeau has served with the Westland Police Department since 2004 after serving the first 6 years of his law enforcement career with the Detroit Police Department and Grosse Pointe Woods Public Safety Department. Archambeau has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and sociology from Western Michigan University where he also attended police academy. He is a member of the Tactical Response Team, the Special Investigations Team, and the Crime Suppression Team. Archambeau was also awarded the Westland Police Officer of the Year Award in 2009.
Sergeant Gatti has served with the Westland Police Department for 8 years after graduating from the Oakland University County Police Academy and obtaining a bachelor's degree from Albion College. Gatti began his career with the Waterford Township Police Department where he served for four years. He was also a member of the Crime Suppression Team. Gatti is now a Community Police Officer, Field Training Officer, and Evidence Technician.
Sergeant Kropodra has served with the Westland Police Department since 2007 after obtaining an associate's degree in criminal justice from Henry Ford College and attended the Oakland University Police Academy. Kropodra is an Evidence Technician, Hostage Negotiator, and a member of the Accident Reconstruction Team. Kropodra is known for being an active volunteer in our community and the community in which he lives. Other positions and duties include being a member of the Awards Committee, serving as a Youth Academy Instructor, and is takes an active role in planning events such as Stuff a SWAT Truck, which provides toys for the Westland Goodfellows' No Child Without a Christmas program.
Lieutenant Swope has served with the Westland Police Department for 15 years, which came on the heels of six years of service with the Detroit Police Department. Swope is a graduate of the Eastern Michigan School of Police Staff and Command. He is a member of the Accident Reconstruction Team and the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Team. He has previously served as a Patrol and School Resource Officer, and now fills the roles of Hostage Negotiator and Traffic Bureau Sergeant.
Lieutenant Serrano retired after having served the Westland Police Department for over 20 years. Lieutenant Serrano served eight years in the U.S. Air Force, and then served four years with the Detroit Police Department where he earned the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police Distinguished Service Award in 1997. He was hired by the Westland Police Department in 1997. During his years of service, he served as a Tactical Response Team Member, School Resource Officer, an investigator with the Detective Bureau, a Westland Police Department Emergency Preparedness Instructor, and Platoon Leader for the Wayne County Mutual Aide Field Force Team. He was also an active volunteer for the Youth Assistance Programs offered through the City of Westland.
Sergeants Norm Brooks and Mark Cholak also retired from the Westland Police Department.
Westland is also welcoming Officers Jackson Gilbert, Raquel Ogarek, and Zach Whitehouse to the Westland Police Department.
Officer Gilbert was raised in Rochester Hills, MI, where he graduated from Rochester Hills High School. Gilbert earned a bachelor's degree in communication and political science from Oakland University, and graduated from the Northwestern University Police Academy.
Officer Ogarek was raised in Canton, MI, and graduated from Plymouth Salem High School. Ogarek earned an associate's degree in criminal justice from Schoolcraft College, and graduated from the Schoolcraft College Police Academy.
Officer Whitehouse was raised in Belleville, MI. Whitehouse earned an associate's degree in criminal justice from Schoolcraft College, and graduated from the Schoolcraft College Police Academy.
Westland Police Department has also hired three Police Service Aides (PSA) who reported to the Washtenaw Police Academy Monday, May 13, 2019. These PSAs are undergoing training as Westland Recruits and will be sworn into the Westland Police Department as police officers upon graduation. They are: Peter Bednarz, Summer Chalfin, and Cameron Plofchan.
Bednarz was raised in Wayne, MI, and graduated from Livonia Churchill High School. Bednarz is a current resident of Canton, MI. He has served as a PSA for seven years. Bednarz has held the position of PSA Trainer for over three years and was presented with the Life-Saving Award in 2019.
Chalfin was raised in Taylor, MI, and graduated from Cabrini Catholic High School. Chalfin graduated with honors in April from Eastern Michigan University with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a minor in psychology. Chalfin has served as a PSA for two years and held the position of PSA Trainer.
Plofchan, as Westland native, graduated from Garden City High School. Plofchan holds an associate's degree in criminal justice from Schoolcraft College and is currently working toward a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Eastern Michigan University. Plofchan has served as a PSA for two years and held the position of PSA Trainer.
"I want to personally thank Lieutenant Daniel Serrano for his decades of service and dedication to our community and congratulate him on his well-deserved retirement," said Mayor William Wild. "Our newly promoted officers, new hires, and recruits have big shoes to fill and we're all excited to have them on our team keeping our city a safe place to live, work, and play."
