New deputy chief named for West Bloomfield Police Department

WEST BLOOMFIELD — More than 20 years ago, Dale Young had a conversation with his father that changed the course of his life.

Young’s grandfather was a police officer, and his dad was a security police officer. In his junior year of college, Young spoke with his dad about the profession.

Following that conversation, Young said, he was sold on the idea of dedicating his life to law enforcement.

That decision eventually led to him earning a job as a cadet with the West Bloomfield Police Department in 2004.

Since then Young has risen in the ranks of the department, including as a police officer, a detective, a defensive tactics instructor, a crisis negotiator team leader, a patrol sergeant, an administrative sergeant and an administrative lieutenant.

His most recent promotion came in January, when he learned that he had been selected to be the department’s deputy chief of police after Curt Lawson, who previously held that role, accepted a position with the Franklin-Bingham Farms Police Department.

Young said he was elated to learn that he had been promoted to the position.

He discussed what his duties entail.

“To run the day-to-day operations within the Police Department, under the umbrella of the chief of police, Mike Patton,” Young said. “So that is overseeing the administration, patrol and investigation divisions, and then also, as collateral duties, I am the head of the public information officer team, and pretty much any other duties as needed.”

Young has a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies with a minor in communications from Oakland University.

He is also a graduate of the Northwestern Center for Public Safety Police Staff and Command, the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police Executive and New Chief’s School, and the Michigan Police Executive Development Seminar.

Young is an active member of the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Police Executive Research Forum and the National Tactical Officers Association.

He is also the current secretary for the Michigan Association of Hostage Negotiators.

Although Patton said that there were other very good choices for the position of deputy chief and it was a difficult decision to make, he expressed confidence in the decision that was ultimately made to promote Young.

“Very confident in the selection of Dale Young as deputy chief and look forward to continuing great things in his many years of service at the Police Department,” Patton said. “The deputy chief would serve in place of the chief for most things in the absence of the chief. … I like to think that he’s one of the people that the township will consider for future leadership in the Police Department, including the chief of police position.”

Steven Kaplan, the township’s supervisor, has taken notice of Young’s career trajectory.

“He’s had a meteoric rise in the Police Department,” Kaplan said. “He was elevated to the position of sergeant about five years ago, and then two years later to lieutenant and now to deputy chief. … There are three main divisions within the Police Department – patrol, and then detective bureau, and then administration. Well, Deputy Chief Young has performed well in each of those divisions.”

As an added perk of being a part of the law enforcement profession, Young, who graduated from Brother Rice High School in Bloomfield Hills, has had the opportunity to do so in his hometown.

“My family moved to the township in the late ’70s, so I grew up here,” he said. “So essentially, I have either lived or worked in West Bloomfield my entire life, and to see the way that the township has changed over the years, to be a part of keeping people safe and providing services to the community, it’s nice to kinda see the return on that investment within the community.”

While a dream job can lose its luster after a while for many people, for Young, even after all these years of working in law enforcement, said he still has a lofty opinion of the profession.

“This is a noble profession and one that is going to outlive me, as it should,” he said. “I really feel like there is no other profession that can offer the types of variety in your life, and what I mean by that is that you’re out there helping the community, and because (you’re) dealing with people, maybe you have similar situations that happen on a daily basis. However, because we are dealing with people, there are gonna be different nuances all the time, so it’s very rewarding.”

Growing up in West Bloomfield and having the opportunity to spend his entire career in the township has given Young a unique perspective as to the relationship between law enforcement personnel and civilians.

“Our connection to the community, we are fortunate,” he said. “I can’t tell you how often it is that the officers are driving through neighborhoods or engaging with citizens, and they are happy to see us. They give us a lot of positive feedback. I would say that, right now, especially, that our relationship with our community is very strong.”

Aside from wanting residents to be aware that the department has a Facebook page where they can learn more information, and that job openings can be found at wbtownship.org on the Human Resources page, Young also relayed another message.

“I feel … fortunate to be serving the community in this position,” he said.