Page 5 - eagle033122

March 31, 2022 ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS OF MICHIGAN PAGE 5

WESTLAND
WESTLAND

Police welcome new officers, promote 2 veterans

The Westland Police oped the “Day for You' event for
Department celebrated several special needs children.
new hires and promotions last Thomas Lawson has also been
week during a promotional cere- promoted to the rank of sergeant.
mony at city hall. He grew up in Taylor and gradu-
Department and city officials ated from Taylor Center High
welcomed four new officers to School. After high school, he
the ranks and celebrated the pro- enlisted in the US Army serving 3
motions of two veteran officers to years as a tract vehicle mechanic
the rank of sergeant. obtaining the rank of Specialist
Chaim Kozak is now a ser- (E-4). He deployed to Panama
geant with the department. during the Cuban Refugee Crisis
Kozak rgrew up in Westland and for which he received a
enlisted in the Marine Corps fol- Humanitarian Award for
lowing high school. He served Service. He earned an associates
four years as an infantrymen and degree in criminal justice from
deployed to Afghanistan and Wayne County Community
Iraq. In Afghanistan, he was College. He graduated from the
awarded letter of achievement Detroit Police Academy in 2001
for combat and served the
actions, ” City of Detroit
Meritorious as an officer for
Unit Citation With those programs, three years. He
and the Combat we are helping was hired as a
Action Ribbon. W estland
He was then develop future Police Officer
deployed to Iraq Westland in 2004 and has
where he been assigned Westland officials welcomed four new officers and celebrated the promotion of two veterans to the rank
earned the Navy Police Officers. to patrol. He is of sergeant during the promotional ceremony.
Unit citation, a crime scene the City of Westland. serving for the past 2 years. Born Standing here today, I am proud
Combat Action evidence tech- Officer Casey York is a lifelong in a law enforcement family, her to say that we are still able to
Ribbon with a nician, Glock resident of Westland and a grad- grandfather and her father both attract quality candidates. You
gold star and Purple Heart for armorer, Field Training Officer, a uate of John Glenn High School. served the Detroit Police can clearly see that after hearing
combat actions. After his enlist- member of the perimeter rifle He started his law enforcement Department. In addition, her the bios on each of our new hires
ment, he attended Schoolcraft team, and is still a member of the career in 2013 with the Detroit stepbrother, Reed Zielinkski, is and our promoted sergeants.
College and earned an associate's Westland Police Honor Guard Police Department where he has also a Westland Police Officer “Another common factor is
degree in criminal justice. Kozak Team. been serving for the past eight Officer Nicholas Edney grew how so many of our police hires
attended the Eastern Kentucky The Westland Police years. While working in Detroit, up in Garden City and attended grew up locally. That says a lot for
Police Academy. He started his Department also welcomed four he was assigned to patrol divi- Garden City High School. our community. Over the years,
law enforcement career as a new police officers to the force sion, special operations, gang Committing to Concordia we have seen a large number of
deputy for Boyd County Sheriff's who were officially sworn in dur- intelligence and the special University in Ann Arbor on a new police officers come to
Department in eastern Kentucky. ing the Promotional Ceremony response unit. York is currently football scholarship, he received Westland from other agencies
In September 2013, Kozak just before the city council meet- pursuing a bachelor's degree an associates degree in criminal because they grew up here. We
returned home to Westland and ing on Monday, March 21. from Cleary University and plans justice. In 2020, he graduated have seen that in our police
joined the city department. Since Officer Jacob Berkowitz is one to have it completed in May 2022. from the Detroit Police Academy department, our fire department,
2013, Kozak has been a member of the new officers. He is a native Officer Chelsea Gilbert also and has since served in the city council and even the mayor
of the Westland Tactical of Omaha, Nebraska and is an grew up in Westland and is also a Detroit Police Department 8th who grew up in Westland and
Response Unit, Honor Guard avid hockey fan and player. He graduate of John Glenn High precinct. While in Detroit, he was went to John Glenn. This goes to
Team member, CISM Team mem- moved to Minnesota at age 16 to School. With a psychology degree trained as a shot spotter, firearms show the importance of pro-
ber, firearms instructor and a play junior hockey. Berkowitz from Eastern Michigan inspector and interdiction of grams such as the Explorers and
field-training officer. Kozak truly moved to Michigan and enrolled University, Gilbert started her illicit drugs and weapons. the PSA program. With those pro-
excelled while working as a com- in the Detroit Police Academy. law enforcement career in 2019 “Throughout the country law grams, we are helping develop
munity police officer, officials He served in Detroit for seven with the Detroit Police enforcement agencies are strug- future Westland Police Officers,”
said. During that time, he devel- months before transitioning to Department where she has been gling with police recruitment. said Chief of Police Jeff Jedrusik.
Parade marchers sought

Registrations are already being dom, along with veterans who have
accepted for the Westland-Wayne courageously served the country.
Veterans Memorial Day Parade set for 1 A brief tribute ceremony is planned
p.m. Sunday, May 29. The parade will at the Veterans Memorial Garden of
travel from John Glenn High School to Westland, hosted by VFW Post 9885
the William Faust Public Library of "Bova" at the end of the parade to pay
Westland this year. homage to those fallen men and women
Local clubs and groups are urged to who lives were sacrificed.
join the parade to celebrate and remem- To participate or for more informa-
ber the men and women who have tion visit: https://www.cityofwestland.
made the ultimate sacrifice for our free- com/ CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=97