Jarrell and peers reflect on his tenure helming Park Public Safety Department

GROSSE POINTE PARK — Victims of government budget cuts aren’t always purchases or programs — sometimes, they’re people.

That’s what happened to former Grosse Pointe Park Public Safety Director Bryan Jarrell, 63, who lost his job due to budget cuts that took effect July 1. City Manager Nick Sizeland and elected leaders said repeatedly that Jarrell’s departure was due to budgetary issues, not his performance, which they have praised. Jarrell’s official last day was June 30.

Jarrell was hired by the Park in 2021, after the city conducted a nationwide search for a new public safety director. He brought more than 30 years of experience with him that included managing other law enforcement departments.

A Southfield native, Jarrell spent 28 1/2 years with the Southfield Police Department, retiring as the deputy chief in 2013. After that, he accepted a position as police chief in Prescott, Arizona, where he worked for almost six years, from 2013 to 2019. He left that job in 2019 to move back to Michigan “to be closer to family,” including his mom, who’s now 91.

Then, in 2021, he was offered the position in Grosse Pointe Park.

“I thought it would be a nice challenge (to do) public safety — I’m used to law enforcement,” Jarrell said.

Before he started his career in law enforcement, Jarrell served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1978 to 1983.

Jarrell moved from Milford to Grosse Pointe Woods after being hired by the Park. He was initially told the city intended to keep him in the directorship for about five years.

He said some of his proudest accomplishments were expanding community outreach, increasing diversity in the department, making sure all commanding officers had supervision leadership training and implementing new avenues for training.

“We accomplished a great deal in a very short period of time,” Jarrell said.

Jarrell also initiated monthly meetings among all the public safety directors in the Pointes.

A number of community members, friends and fellow officers from the department headed to the Park’s Cabbage Patch Saloon June 8 for a party in Jarrell’s honor.

Detective Ryan Willmer said Jarrell brought good ideas with him, as well as a willingness to take differing opinions into consideration.

“He brought an open door policy, which is something we weren’t used to,” Willmer said. “Everybody really took to him.”

Detective Sgt. Jeremy Pittman, who was a police officer in Pontiac before coming to the Park, was likewise impressed by Jarrell.

“I thought his experience and his acumen, his education and his leadership, was like no one I’ve ever worked for before,” Pittman said. “I really respected him.”

Like Willmer, Pittman appreciated Jarrell’s openness.

“His best quality as a leader was his ability to communicate with staff,” Pittman said. “He made you feel like you were a part of the decision-making process.”

John Wolski, of Grosse Pointe City, is director of the nonprofit Grosse Pointe Park Public Safety Foundation, which has funded several equipment purchases — including new bulletproof vests — since it was founded in 2022. He said Jarrell has been a great partner.

“I can’t say enough kind things about the chief,” Wolski said. “He did an incredible job during his tenure here, and he’s done a lot to improve the department. A lot of the things he’s done will live on. The chief was instrumental in us organizing the foundation.”

Jarrell’s last hire was Olga Merametdjian, who was hired as an officer in April. For the last four years, the Park resident has worked in code enforcement for the department. She will start the fire academy Aug. 28, and in January she’ll head to the police academy.

Merametdjian was so moved by Jarrell’s leadership and his ability to see potential in others that she presented him with a framed poster of quotes she compiled because she felt they applied to him.

“He’s a good man,” Merametdjian said. “He’s a leader of the highest order. He’s an absolute blessing.”

Jarrell and his wife have three adult children — a daughter and two sons — and three grandchildren, ages 5 to 10. While he enjoys spending time with them, he’s not quite ready to fully retire yet and is hoping to find something else in the area in law enforcement.

“I enjoyed serving the people,” Jarrell said. “I really think we made a difference.”

Former Deputy Director James Bostock was named the Park’s new public safety director. The deputy director position has been eliminated.