Grosse Pointe Farms Swears In New Public Safety Officer

Richard "Richie" M. Rosati is excited to begin his criminal justice career. It is all he has ever wanted to do, he said Friday shortly after being sworn in by Grosse Pointe Farms City Clerk Matthew Tepper as a public safety officer.

Rosati earned his bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Ferris State University, attended the police academy there and then attended the Macomb Fire Academy.

He is eager to start the job and more eager to learn from those who have worked there for years, especially his father, Lt. Richard A. Rosati, who heads up the detective bureau. 

"I've always gotten along with my dad," the younger Rosati said. "I look forward to working with him and I can't wait to learn from him."

The elder Rosati pinned his son's badge on after he finished taking his oath in the Grosse Pointe Farms courtroom early Friday. There to witness his swearing in were his mother, Phyllis Rosati, and his grandmother, Antoinette Rosati, along with Farms City Manager Shane Reeside, Public Safety Director Dan Jensen and detectives Rick Good and John Walko.

Richie Rosati sort of grew up with the department, his parents said, recalling a picture they took of him when he was 5 years old sitting in Judge Matthew Rumora's seat at the head of the courtroom grasping the gavel.

Lt. Richard Rosati said he is proud of his son's choice to go into law enforcement, noting it was never forced upon him. They told him they would support him in whatever field he chose, but he always had interest in law enforcment, the elder Rosati said.

The 23-year-old is the first public safety officer hired to the department in several years, Public Safety Director Dan Jensen said. He is the first to be hired in under the city's new pension and benefits package and his hiring was approved by city administration to enable the public safety department to maintain it's level of service. 

Detective Rick Good will be retiring from the department soon and the hiring of Rosati is intended to maintain the Farms current staffing levels for the public safety department, Jensen said. 

Richie Rosati will begin on days and transition to the overnight shift in the coming weeks, Jensen said.