Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud (at podium) speaks during the July 27 opening of the new Wayne County Sheriff’s Office mini station at, 15101 Michigan Ave., in Dearborn, as Wayne County Commissioner Sam Baydoun (left), Wayne County Sheriff Raphael Washington (third from left), Undersheriff Mike Jafar (eighth from left) and others listen.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Times-Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN – The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office has a new mini station in east Dearborn, 15101 Michigan Ave., sharing a building with Metro Tech Collision, formerly the Buick GMC Collision Center.
Wayne County Sheriff Raphael Washington and Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, with other county and city officials, held a July 27 ribbon cutting and opening event.
Undersheriff Mike Jafar said the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office is excited about its new satellite location.
“This is the town I was born and raised in, so it is pretty near and dear to my heart,” he said. “As part of Sheriff Raphael Washington’s vision, and in cooperation with the local police departments – our first will be the Dearborn Police Department – we are increasing our community policing, visibility and showing folks in Wayne County that we are going to be around here to assist agencies when needed.”
Ali Turfe (left), 5, of Dearborn, receives a sheriff badge sticker from Wayne County Sheriff Raphael Washington during the July 27 opening of the new Wayne County Sheriff’s Office mini station in Dearborn.
Jafar said sheriff deputies will be at the Dearborn satellite station intermittently throughout the week and will use it for report writing, meeting with residents and taking complaints. The station also will host training and meetings.
“This will afford us the opportunity to assist the Dearborn police, the citizens and merchants and to know our neighbors,” he said.
Hammoud said the satellite station is an exciting opportunity.
“After the campaign, we had Undersheriff Mike Jafar come in, and we talked about the need for greater collaboration between our Wayne County Sheriff’s Department and the Dearborn Police Department,” he said. “With the leadership that we have with Wayne County Sheriff Washington and our police chief, Issa Shahin, we see that coming to fruition.”
Hammoud said he is excited that Dearborn has the first satellite location.
“Hopefully this will lead to greater public safety throughout our neighborhoods,” he said. “It’s an exciting time in the city of Dearborn and Wayne County overall.”
Washington said this is about the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office and the Dearborn Police Department working together.
“We are here to work together,” he said. “They’ve been a great partner with us so far, and a great partner as we continue, because we are stronger together. What you see here today is police agencies working together for the greater good of the community.”
Washington said the satellite station will make it clear to residents in the area that if they need the help of the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, they are here.
“We are happy about it, we are glad about the partnership, we are glad to serve the community and we will continue to do that as the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office as long as I’m the sheriff, and I am going to be your sheriff for a long time,” he said.
Wayne County Commissioner Sam Baydoun thanked the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office for all its support during a festival held outside Fairlane Town Center during the month of Ramadan, which drew thousands of visitors.
Wayne County Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Samer Jaafar said the opening of the satellite station was a great occasion that should have happened long ago.
“On behalf of the county executive, we really appreciate the collaboration between the two departments,” he said. “As the director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, our job is to support when departments are overwhelmed, and in this case here, we are looking at together being stronger, and you are doing it on your own. This is a great day in Wayne County, and it’s a great day in Dearborn.”
Wayne County Sheriff Raphael Washington (fifth from left), Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud (sixth from left) and others celebrate the ceremonial ribbon cutting July 27 of a new Wayne County Sheriff’s Office mini station at 15101 Michigan Ave. in Dearborn, which houses Metro Tech Collision, and formerly housed Superior Buick GMC Collision Center.