Newest Grosse Pointe Shores public safety sergeant brings training, experience to job

GROSSE POINTE SHORES — Grosse Pointe Shores Public Safety Department officers need a large set of skills, since they handle medical and ambulance runs, as well as police and fire duties.

And that’s exactly what they got when they hired Ryan Wilson in 2015. Wilson, who was promoted to the rank of sergeant during a July 19 Shores City Council meeting, got his start as a paramedic for Medstar Ambulance, where he worked from July 2013 to December 2015. He has an associate degree in fire science from Macomb Community College, graduated from the Oakland Community College Fire Academy in May 2014, and worked for the Macomb Township Fire Department as a paramedic and firefighter from August 2014 to December 2015. In May 2016, he graduated from the Macomb Community College Police Academy.

“I really like being able to combine all of the services — police, fire (and) my paramedic license,” Wilson, 32, said of working in the Shores.

Wilson, who lives in Wales, Michigan, has also worked for the Memphis Fire Department since January 2022. He and his wife, Caroline, are parents to two daughters, Shea and Sidney.

His in-service training has included police supervision, investigative statement analysis, basic detective school, stolen auto identification techniques, evidence tech school, evidentiary photography and the Reid School of Interviewing.

“We’re starting to groom Ryan to take over the detective spot,” Public Safety Director Kenneth Werenski said. Earlier this year, longtime department member and Detective John Jebrael retired.

In his seven years in the Shores, Wilson has earned multiple awards, including one for lifesaving in 2016 and a Directors Award in 2019.

“What an impressive résumé,” Mayor Ted Kedzierski said.

Kedzierski swore in Wilson, as family, friends and city officials looked on.

“This is the best part of our job,” Kedzierski said of being able to hire and promote public safety officers and recognize their accomplishments.

Werenski said Wilson is someone with “a lot of integrity, a lot of character.”

“Ryan is a good guy,” Werenski said. “When you call and he shows up, you can smile — the right person is at your door.”

In addition to his many other responsibilities, Werenski said Wilson is a field training supervisor.