Media contacts: Stephanie Carroll, Manager of Business Development and Community Relations, City of Auburn Hills; 248.364.6802; scarroll@auburnhills.org

Auburn Hills, MI.---January 24, 2018---The City of Auburn Hills, a dynamic community committed to innovation and growth, announced today that after 44 years in policing and nearly 22 years as the Chief of Police for the City of Auburn Hills, Chief Doreen E. Olko has announced her retirement effective June 1, 2018.

“Policing has long been my passion and I have been fortunate to be witness to and participate in historic changes in policing during the time I have been a police officer. I still believe that it is a noble profession that seeks to serve individuals and communities even under the direst circumstances and often at personal risk. It has been the greatest honor of my career to lead the men and women of the Auburn Hills Police Department. I have great confidence that they are prepared and ready to lead the department into the future. I would like to thank the citizens of Auburn Hills, the City Council and the City Manager, Thomas A. Tanghe, for the opportunity to serve for such a lengthy period of time.”

Chief Olko started her career with the Ingham County Sheriff’s Office in 1973 moving to Meridian Township Police in 1977 where she was promoted through the ranks to captain. In 1994 she was selected as the deputy chief of police for the City of Auburn Hills and promoted to chief in 1996. During that time she received the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police Presidential Medal in 2013, a 2008 Wall of Fame installation by the Michigan State University School of Criminal Justice; the 2015 Distinguished Service Award from Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper; 2004 Leadership Oakland Distinguished Leadership Award, among others. She was appointed by Governors Granholm and Snyder to represent the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police on the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards for a total of eight years serving two years as its chair.

“The citizens of Auburn Hills can be proud of their police department which is held in high regard by the community as determined by a 2016 city services satisfaction survey,” said Mayor Kevin McDaniel. “We appreciate the long service of Chief Olko and wish her well in her retirement.”

City Manager Tom Tanghe shares the Mayor’s sentiments. “Chief Olko has had a long and distinguished career in law enforcement, half of which was spent serving the Auburn Hills community. No doubt we will miss her contributions to our leadership team. Auburn Hills is a better community because of her.”

The process to fill the chief’s position has been announced and more information can be found at www.auburnhills.org