Why I'm Proud to Serve

As this year comes to a close, I would like to take this time to share with you the latest news from our department, further highlighting why I am so proud to serve as chief of Allen Park, and why it takes all of us to keep the community (and its surroundings, see below) and its residents safe.

The Allen Park Police Department would like to congratulate our four cadets who successfully passed the police academy. These cadets will now join the department as officers. I would like to give a warm welcome to Officers Preston Haener, Brendan Wilds, Jacob Patton, and Mohammed Alwisha.

These four new officers will now begin our rigorous Field Training Program (FTO). This program lasts approximately five months, during which the new officers will be assigned to a seasoned field training officer who will monitor their progress and ensure they are able and ready to be on their own once they complete the program.

I would also like to congratulate Shaun Harvey, who was recently promoted to the rank of lieutenant. Lt. Harvey began his career with the Allen Park Police Department in 2008. He worked on road patrol duties until he was assigned to the C.H.I.E.F. (Combined Hotel Interdiction Enforcement) Task Force. In 2020, he became a member of the Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) and in 2023, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant.

Lt. Harvey will become a well-rounded mentor for this department, where he will be assigned to a platoon to help shape the future of those assigned to him.

I would especially like to recognize the actions of Sergeant Arnoldy, Officer Allen, Officer Brna, and Officer Cox. On October 24, 2025, Downriver Central Dispatch broadcast an active fire occurring at American House Southgate (16333 Allen Road – Southgate, MI). It was further broadcast by responding officers that numerous residents were trapped on multiple floors with flames showing.

These four officers arrived on scene and immediately began to assist in the search for unaccounted residents. This included having to force entry into locked doors to alert elderly/special needs residents who were unaware that the building was on fire and it was rapidly spreading.

These officers made numerous trips back into the burning building to look for/assist further trapped residents, and even went as far as retrieving blankets/chairs for those residents who had been brought outside and were sitting in the cold.

It should be noted that many of these residents were on the second and third floors, with some residents in seated chairs/wheelchairs, having mental/physical ailments that prevented them from walking, hearing, etc.

Not to mention the elevator was not functioning properly. If it were not for the actions of these officers and the officers/firefighters from all the cities that responded that night, this could have been a very tragic story. It is actions like these that make me proud to say I work with these people, and I can trust them with my life.