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The City of Westland swore in three new
police officers and promoted four veteran
officers at the regular city council meeting
March 17.
New officers Chad Britsol, Matt Allen,
and Thomas Rogers were sworn in, ser-
geants Dave Dinsmore and Pat Corby were
promoted to the rank of lieutenant and offi-
cers James Fransisco andNateMacraewere
promoted to sergeants.
Bristol spent the last 14 years with the
Detroit Police Department. During his
tenure with Detroit, Bristol received the
2012 Police Officer of the Year award and
was recognized by Mothers Against Drunk
Driving for making more than 100 DUI
arrests in one year.
Allen is a John Glenn High School alum-
nus who served with the Inkster Police
Department for 16 years. He, too, was named
Police Officer of the Year in Inkster and left
the department at the rank of lieutenant.
Rogers holds a bachelor's degree in crimi-
nal justice from Siena Heights University
and attended the Detroit Police Academy.
He spent 15 years with the Detroit Police
Department, where he received numerous
awards and recognitions.
Sergeants Dinsmore and Corby were
each promoted to lieutenant. Dinsmore has
servedwith theWestlandPoliceDepartment
for 20 years.
Fransisco and Macrae were each promot-
ed to sergeant.
“I would like to welcome these three tal-
ented and experienced new officers into our
community. We look forward to their dedica-
tion as they serve and protect our residents,”
saidMayorWilliamWild.
“I would also like to congratulate the
newly-promoted officers. Your new ranks
are well-deserved and we look forward to
your continued service and professional-
ism.”
A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
5
April 3, 2014
W
AYNE
- W
ESTLAND
Remembering Art Elander
Westland welcomes new officers, promotes 4 veterans
Friends and family gathered last
Saturday in the St. Paul Lutheran
Church in Dearborn to pause,
remember and reflect on the life
and times of Arthur William
Elanderwho diedMarch 19, 2014.
As he did to somany, he touched
my life, and made me a better
human being. I guess Art gained
access to my soul using his com-
mand of music. His gift was so
much a part of who he became that
hemust have been given something
unique before his birth in
Worcester, Mass. onFeb. 27, 1927.
He had some help in accom-
plishing his life’s work in his loving
and devoted wife and family that
helped him nurture his passion for
music. Art's willingness and enthu-
siasm for sharing his gift for music
with so many was an integral part
of his career, spent teaching the
love of music to students in the
WayneWestland schools.
Pastor Colleen Kamke knew Art
and spoke in her memorial service
message effectively about who this
man was who so many knew and
loved.
Kamke bore witness Art's serv-
ice as choir director at St. Paul's for
20 years, and of his devotion and
inspiration to the church, to music
and tohis family.
Art began his teaching career in
Wayne in 1949, the same year he
andMarjorieweremarried.
To say he was “a music teacher”
would give new meaning to the
word “understatement”. He was a
role model, choir director, devoted
student in the school of lifetime
learning, a family man, church
leader and a loyal member and
active participant in the Christian
flock where he served at St. Paul
Lutheran.
Art took pride in his Swedish
heritage. Both sides of his family
came fromSweden and he loved to
visit that country but he lived a life
every American citizen should use
as an inspiration and model. He
served his country in World War II
in the Navy. Pearl Harbor took Art
to the armed forces to help defend
all our country stands for.
He was a proud American who
showed many how to live the
American Dream properly and
with dignity. Art was in Sweden on
“9/11” a life-defining moment for us
all that reminded us there are
those who wish for the failure of
America and ourway of life.
If we could do it all over, how
many of us would make the same
decisions. I suspect that Art, or “Mr.
Elander,” as we referred to him
during my Wayne Memorial High
School years, might take the same
forks inhis road.
For decades he was the “guy” in
the Wayne Westland schools when
it came to vocal music. His long-
time co-conspirator and friend dur-
ing much of that time was George
Bell, the head “band guy”. This pair
of educators touched the hearts of
thousands, through their teaching
and by their example. Together
they built amusic program through
their demanding pursuit of excel-
lence, pushing many to “raise the
bar” evenhigher.
Art taught me to not pass from
our earthly bounds with the “Music
Still InMe”.
I will remember Art every time I
raise my voice in song, when I play
the piano, when I drive back
through Wayne and pass the
Stockmeyer
Performance
Auditorium where Art and George
taught somany.
At the celebration of the 50th
anniversary of the class of 1961
from Wayne Memorial High
School, I took the photo of Art,
George and their wives shown
above.
At that event, I watched and lis-
tened to conversations withArt and
George as they spoke of how other,
now aging past music students,
were affected by the music pro-
gramthey built and embodied.
Life is about whether we leave
behind a better world than we
entered. Art and George touched
many, me among them, and made
thisworld a better place.
If I could see Art Elander and
could speak to him again, I would
say, “Good job…you accomplished
what you wanted to do.” I would
remind him of the thousands of
others, like me, who will not forget
what he did forme and for all of us.
And I would thank him for the
impact he had and the joy he
brought tomy life.
Art Elander, right, his wife, Marjorie, George Bell, left, and his wife, Ruth,
attended a Wayne Memorial High School reunion several years ago.
David J. Willett
Special Writer
Interfering With a Crime Report, which is a
1-yearmisdemeanor.
He was arraigned March 17, and received
a $10,000 or 10 percent bond and ordered to
have no contact with the victim. Soueidan
posted the bond and was released from cus-
tody.
On March 27, a preliminary hearing took
place and a his preliminary examination
was scheduled before Judge Sandra Cicirelli
onApril 10 in 18thDistrict Court.
The Dearborn incident took place March
22, according to the prosecutor's office.
Prosecutors allege that at about 11 p.m.
March 22, police responded to a report of
family trouble at the Soueidan family home.
It is alleged that Soueidan violated a PPO by
coming to the home, physically assaulting his
wife, and stealing her cell phone. He was
arrested at the scene by the responding
police officers.
His preliminary examination on these
charges is scheduled for April 4, in 19th
District Court before JudgeSamA. Salemey.
Arrest
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