FeedsWayne Police Department gears up for major transition
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Sgt. Daryl Rize (left) and Sgt. Mike Ciucci (right) are two of three new lieutenants in the Wayne Police Department, along with Pat Linberg (not pictured). Matthew Spunar (center) is one of three new sergeants, along with John Buffa and Ryan Strong.The next wave of leadership is ready to take over at the Wayne Police Department.
The new budget year will bring six new command officers to the department, following the retirement of three long-serving veterans.
“I’m proud of every one of them,” said Police Chief John Williams of his new lieutenants and sergeants. “They deserve it. They deserve to be moved up.”
Mike Ciucci, Daryl Rize and Pat Lindberg will be promoted from sergeant to lieutenant, while Ryan Strong, Matthew Spunar and John Buffa will be promoted to lieutenant.
“Each of them brings something different to the table,” Williams sad. “They all have a variety of different perspectives.”
Jack Garrett, Don Gotham and Keith Thomas-all lieutenants-are retiring from the force, as is animal control officer Jim Smith and Beverly Prough, Williams’ executive assistant.
“A lot of experience is walking out the door; a lot of good friends,” said Rize, a 17-year member of the department.
Currently in the detective bureau, Rize worked in the Van Buren Township Police Department before he hired in Wayne.
Rize said he thought about a career in the police field when he was in school at Wayne Memorial, back when former chief John Colligan was even more involved in the varsity football team.
Rize will attend the school of staff and command at Northern University, an intensive leadership training course that runs in two-week cycles through November.
He said he’s looking forward to his new role, which puts him in charge of a shift and will allow him the change to get out and have more proactive interaction with the public. He said he hasn’t second guessed his decision to go into the police field, either.
“Every day I get up and come to work with a good attitude,” he said. “I enjoying coming to work every day. After 17 years, not a lot of people can say that.”
Ciucci said his new role will require some adjustments-like giving up the day shift for the night shift. He’s worked in the Wayne department for 20 years and is currently in the detective bureau, too. A firearms instructor, Ciucci said his promotion means he’ll have to leave behind another role, too: his position on the Wayne County S.W.A.T. team. He’s been on the special operations team since his second year on the force and is currently the head of it.
“I’m not ready,” he said of giving up that role. “It’s just one of those things that the decision is made for you.”
Ciucci will be the highest ranking officer on the night shift, overseeing patrol operations and two sergeants.
“I’m thrilled,” he said. “It’s going to be a drastic change, but I’m looking forward to it.”
Spunar has worked for Wayne for more than 13 years. He came to the city after a year as a police officer in Tecumseh, MI. He’s moving into the detective bureau from the traffic bureau. He has also been the community relations officer for the department, overseeing programs like the Citizens Emergency Response Team (CERT) and Citizen’s Academy.
He said he’s looking forward to taking on different kinds of investigations, but he enjoyed his previous position in the department, too.
“I think it’s helped in my role here,” he said. “I saw a lot more of the good stuff with this role, instead of all the negatives.”
Williams said the promotion procedure has evolved over the years. Currently he looks at past performance reviews and productivity for promotion candidates. He and Deputy Chief Tony DeGuisti interviewed all candidates together this time around.
“They were all excellent candidates,” said Williams. “I’m very fortunate that I have so many good people here.
“It certainly wasn’t an easy decision to select this group out of so many qualified people,” he added.
