Sumpter promotes Sgt. Patrick Gannon to police lieutenant

Sgt. Patrick Gannon was promoted to police lieutenant with his family around him in a ceremony attended by most of the Sumpter Township Police Department.
This was at the regular meeting of the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees on Sept. 8.
34th District Court Chief Judge Tina Brooks Green swore Lt. Gannon in and then helped his four children unpin his old sergeant’s badge and pin on the new lieutenant’s badge. They also had planned to remove the old stripes on his collar and replace them with new stripes, but Judge Green found they weren’t available.
“They’re still at the uniform shop,” explained Captain Eric Luke from the back of the meeting room and people in the crowded room laughed good-naturedly.
Supervisor John Morgan moved to the agenda item on the promotion by saying Patrick Gannon “is one of my favorite people.”
Police Chief Jim Pierce said when he first got to Sumpter there was a chief and then the corporals. He said with that organization, at times a corporal had to run the department.
He said there is a good second in command right now, referring to Captain Luke, and now Gannon will be third in command. Then there are two sergeants, two corporals, and then police officers. The detective is in a separate category. He is a corporal, but is in charge at a crime scene.
Chief Pierce said he wanted a chain of command for legal reasons.
He said this is what the structure is for the time being, but he would like another lieutenant in the future and attorney Rob Young asked him to hold off talking about that at this point because of collective bargaining constraints.
Supervisor Morgan said he remembers when Gannon and Luke joined the department at the same time.
“He and Luke were like twins, all spit and polish,” recalled Morgan. “I remember saying to myself one of these will be the chief before I leave.”
Chief Pierce said Lt. Gannon has done a lot for the department, noting Gannon painted the station inside and out and planted shrubbery. He sees what needs doing and just does it without asking for any money, Chief Pierce said.
“And, he’s honest,” Chief Pierce said. “I’ve never had Sgt. Gannon tell me anything that wasn’t true.”
“I saw him cleaning out the dog pen in civilian clothes,” said Supervisor Morgan. “That says a lot.”
“He’s also a resident of Sumpter Township,” said Trustee Peggy Morgan and other members of the board joined in their approval of that fact.
After the ceremony, Lt. Gannon was applauded by the board and crowd.
In a memo to the board, Chief Pierce outlined Gannon’s background, including that he has lived in Sumpter since 1992 and is a 1990 graduate of Western Michigan University where he received a bachelor of science in Criminal Justice. He is a 2014 graduate of the prestigious advanced training course of Eastern Michigan School of Police Staff and Command Executive Leadership Program.
“His promotion to lieutenant will allow the department to build upon the high level of professional police services that the community and the township board have grown accustomed to,” Chief Pierce wrote.
He said Lt. Gannon will receive the contract-mandated 3% rank wage differential above his current sergeant wage.
In other business at the Sept. 8 meeting, the board:
• Approved having Sumpter Collision paint the old police car that will be used by the fire chief at a cost of $1,900. When it was revealed no bids were taken, Trustee Morgan said Jim Chudzinski always does a great job and can beat anyone around. And, she said, he is active in the community and supports community events. Supervisor Morgan questioned whether it was wise to spend $1,900 on a car that old, worth $3,000. Fire Chief Joe Januszyk said it is a 2011 vehicle with 127,000 miles and runs well;
• Approved spending $1,082 for Priority One Emergency to mount lights and siren onto the that same former police car for fire department use;
• Formally approved the promotion of Sgt. Gannon to the position of lieutenant, contingent upon his successful completion of a one-year probationary period;
• Heard Lydia Graber say she had an “unfortunate experience” with an employee when she came into township hall to pay her tax bill and get a dog license. She said she is disabled and, “I felt very disrespected as a person.” Supervisor Morgan apologized, “if they appeared to disrespect you … I’m sure they didn’t mean to.” He offered to get the video of what took place and show it to her. She offered to do training to make the township more handicapped accessible; and
• Heard a property owner across Oakville Waltz from Sumpter Township complain about having to pay $8,600 for a water connection (water hookup and contracting cost) to replace a current spaghetti line. Spaghetti lines are illegal. She wanted to make payments, but Deputy Treasurer Karen Armatis said the property is not in Sumpter Township and the township can’t loan out money.