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GROSSE POINTE SHORES — Grosse Pointe Shores residents might have noticed a couple of new faces in uniform around town in recent weeks.
The city welcomed two new public safety officers — Celeste Harrington, of Center Line, and Allen Lingeman, of New Baltimore — into the fold. Both officers were introduced by Public Safety Director Kenneth Werenski and sworn in to office Jan. 16 by Mayor Ted Kedzierski.
“This is the best part of my job,” a beaming Kedzierski said as city leaders and residents alike met the newest members of the Public Safety Department.
Harrington, who graduated from the Macomb Police Academy, came in third in her class in overall academics and was the recipient of the MCOLES Award for Academy Class Overall Cadet, Werenski said. She also completed the Dorsey College paramedic program and Oakland Community College Fire Academy, and has an associate degree in communications from Macomb Community College and a bachelor’s degree in emergency management from Barry University.
“She’s just so full of energy and she’s got a lot of integrity,” Werenski said. “We’re really happy to have her. She’s going to be an asset to our community.”
Harrington previously worked as a firefighter in Warren. She’s also a reserve officer for the Center Line Public Safety Department; her father, Michael, also served as a Center Line reserve officer.
“I’m really excited,” Harrington said about being hired to work in the Shores.
Lingeman, a native of Riverview who now lives in New Baltimore, previously worked for the Orion Township Fire Department and served as a paramedic for Doctors’ Hospital of Michigan. Werenski said he also worked as a firefighter for the Detroit Fire Department for nine years.
“He comes to us with a huge background in firefighting,” Werenski said. “That’s exactly why we hired him. We’re really excited to tap into his background.”
Lingeman studied at Macomb Community College and Grand Valley State University. He received his basic emergency medical technician — or EMT — training from the Michigan Academy of Emergency Services and went through the paramedic program at McLaren of Oakland and the Oakland Community College Fire Academy, Werenski said. Lingeman was honored for academic excellence upon graduating from the Macomb Police Academy.
Harrington and Lingeman were both joined at the swearing-in by family and friends. Lingeman’s badge was pinned on by his son, Griffin, while Harrington’s badge was pinned on by her younger sister, Fiona Sanders.
The new hires follow the promotion of officer Zef Bojaj, who joined the Shores Public Safety Department in May 2017 and became a sergeant in June 2023. Before coming to work in the Shores, Bojaj was with the New Baltimore Fire Department and Medstar Ambulance.
Werenski said Bojaj has become an invaluable member of the department, serving as the EMS coordinator, Taser instructor, Safety Town instructor and a crisis intervention officer. In addition, Werenski said Bojaj is an EMS instructor for Baker College. Bojaj and his wife have a daughter and three sons.
