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Matthew Harshberger
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Matthew Harshberger has been named Chief of the Ypsilanti Police department. Harshberger was the unanimous choice of the selection committee appointed to fill the position.
The selection committee, led by City Manager Ed Koryzno and composed of Assistant City manager Robert Bruner, Ypsilanti Schools Superintendent James Hawkins and Jackson Chief of Police Ervin Portis, interviewed four finalists on Monday. The decision came quickly, as Harshberger was called to the city manager's office early Tuesday morning.
Harshberger succeeds former chief George Basar, who retired at the end of March. He assumes his duties immediately.
"I'm very excited and pleased to be chosen," Harshberger said immediately after the decision was made public. "I'm extremely grateful for the support of so many members of the community, who let the committee know they backed me.
"I'm going to take a moment to celebrate, then it will be time to sit down and look to the future. There is a lot to do."
Harshberger has spent his entire law enforcement career, 17 years, with the Ypsilanti Police Department. Before moving into administrative duties, he served as a road patrol officer, in the narcotics and the vice enforcement unit, as a detective, a field training officer, a SWAT officer and team leader, road patrol sergeant and shift supervisor and a chemical agent training and deployment officer.
Harshberger was promoted to captain in 1998, a position that, at the time, was third in command in the department. In 2002, the captain's position became second in command when the deputy chief's position was left vacant following the departure of Bill King. In April 2005, he was promoted to deputy chief when the department was reorganized.
Joe Braunschneider, president of the Ypsilanti Police Officers Association, which had endorsed Harshberger on Monday, said that decision followed a great deal of thought and the officers' own, independent research into the other finalists for the position.
"We didn't just look at Matt and say 'let's stick with what we know.' We did background investigations and talked with individuals from those departments," Braunschneider said.
"We took the attitude that what these people did in the past is an indication of how they will handle things in the future."
Braunschneider said Harshberger "has been a breath of fresh air. In the four months he has been interim chief, we haven't had any problems with the way he handles things. In fact, there's been a lot of improvement already.
"We've seen ideas being developed, where they hadn't before. Communication is open. He's willing to talk with the union and is very approachable.
"He's fair. He's respected. There are still thing that need doing, but we think they'll get done if he's chief," Braunschneider said.
Harshberger said some of his first actions as chief will include building department morale and improving attitudes. He wants to strengthen the department so officers do not want to leave. At the same time, he wants to hire only the best.
"Yes, we have budget problems and that won't go away," Harshberger said. "We have tried to do more with less, but eventually we are going to end up doing less with less. At the same time, we cannot lower our standards as to the kind of officer we want working with us. We are the best of the best and we're going to maintain those standards."
Harshberger said other future plans included expanding the Volunteer Service Corps. "We are going to be doing more recruiting for that and are making plans for vehicle patrols to start in the fall. Citizen eyes and ears augment our officers' efforts.
Harshberger credits city administrators and staff with being very supportive of the department. He also said the support of neighborhood associations and individual citizens was felt within the department.
"This is where I've spent 17 years of my life. I know we have extremely good people here, both in the community and in the department. I want us to continue getting better as we go into the future."
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