Macomb Welcomes New Lieutenant in Charge of Sheriff's Services

There's a new lieutenant in town.

After seven years as Macomb Township's liaison to the Macomb County Sheriff's Office, Lt. Gary Paolella is retiring and passing control of township law enforcement to Lt. David Kennedy.

"When he came forward and told me he was retiring, I was a little shocked," said Supervisor Mark Grabow. "I thought Gary would be here long after I was. He's going to be sadly missed by this board."

The board recognized Paolella's seven years of service to the township with a special award Wednesday night.

Paolella, who has served a total of 32 years with the sheriff's office, said of his time in Macomb Township, he will miss "the people" the most.

"It's been a great ride, a great adventure," he said. "We have a dedicated and educated staff in place at the who are passionate about their jobs and compassionate about their fellow man. Lt. Kennedy has an excellent staff in place." 

Kennedy, who has 21 years with the sheriff's office, said he is honored to take Paolella's place in protecting Macomb Township's residents.

"I look forward to continuing a good relationship with the township and providing the best law enforcement services possible," he said.

As liaison officer, Kennedy essentially performs the duties of police chief, as Macomb does not have a police department, but rather contracts with the sheriff's office for its law enforcement services.

"We're proud to have them as part of our service team, from deputies to sergeants, lieutenants and captains, all the way up to working with the sheriff, each and every one of these individuals becomes part of our family here in Macomb Township," Grabow said.