Crime & Safety

Utica PD Swears in New Officer, Promotes Another

Utica Police Department promotes two people within the department.

This week brought upon changes in the as two people within the department were promoted.

Dispatcher Bryan Orlowski was sworn in as a police officer Wednesday after graduating from police academy, and Officer Randy Plante was promoted to sergeant after working in the police department for 12 years.

Orlowski was selected to complete the 17-week police academy after working as a dispatcher in Utica for more than a year.

Find out what's happening in Shelby-Uticawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Chief Dave Faber said Utica sponsored the cost of the $4,3000 academy because Orlowski has been working as a current employee in the city.

The current collective bargaining agreement specifies that current employees who meet the employment standards of the Michigan Commission of Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) will have the first opportunity for employment when a police officer position is available, according to Faber.

Find out what's happening in Shelby-Uticawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Orlowski also is a sergeant with the Utica Fire Department, where he is a certified firefighter, paramedic and fire inspector.  

“Officer Orlowski has been employed by the city for 12 years. Therefore,
he already has insight of the inner workings of the department and he is
very familiar with the business owners and residents of the city,” said Faber. “He has previously established himself as a very dedicated and valued employee of
the city and we expect those same qualities in his new position.”

Orlowski is Mayor Jacqueline Noonan’s son-in-law. At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, she noted the family relations, but insisted that their relationship was not a factor in Orlowski’s promotion.

Plante is Moving off the Streets and Into the Role of Management

Plante, who started with Utica as a dispatcher for two years, has been patrolling the streets as a patrol officer for the past 10 years.

His new duties now include supervision of the road patrol officers.

“I am looking forward to working in my new capacity and serving the city,” Plante told Patch.

In order to become a sergeant, Plante had to successfully complete a competitive written and oral test, where officers receive extra points for seniority.

Noonan said Tuesday as she swore in Plante as a sergeant that he is the assistant Utica fire chief, paramedic and “all around good guy.”


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