New Grosse Pointe Shores officer has firefighting, emergency medical background

GROSSE POINTE SHORES — Grosse Pointe Shores’ newest public safety officer comes to the community with a stamp of approval from one of the department’s respected veterans.

Sean Frontiera — who was sworn into office by Mayor Ted Kedzierski at a May 21 Shores City Council meeting — worked alongside Shores Lt. Tony Spina from 2020 to 2024 in Ira Township, where both are firefighters. When the Shores Public Safety Department was looking to fill a vacancy and came across Frontiera, Public Safety Director Ken Werenski said Spina told him, “‘This is what we’re looking for as far as an employee.’”

Werenski was impressed enough himself with Frontiera that he offered him a job in the Shores.

“It’s a huge compliment when we can hire such a good guy,” Werenski said of Frontiera, who also worked as a paramedic for Tri-County Medical Center from 2022 to 2024. “I’m real excited.”

Frontiera, 27, grew up in New Baltimore and lives in Ira Township with his wife and son. He graduated from the Macomb Community College Police Academy May 10, 2024.

“It’s the best part of my job,” Kedzierski said of swearing in the new officer.

Werenski said Frontiera — who joined the department in May — quickly began making friends.

Frontiera said he was happy to still be working with Spina.

“Lt. Spina shaped me and mentored me along the way,” Frontiera said. “I love it here (in the Shores). I feel super blessed to be here.”

Public safety is a big part of the Frontiera family. Sean Frontiera said his wife, Katy, is a firefighter and medic in Fraser.

Frontiera’s emergency medical background is one of the reasons why the Shores wanted to hire him. All officers in the Shores are triple-trained — besides being police and firefighters, they’re all also either emergency medical technicians or paramedics. The Shores is one of the few departments that still operates its own ambulance, a service that has resulted in countless lives being saved because officers can be on the scene of an emergency so quickly in the small community and they have the medical training to start treating someone immediately.