Dearborn Heights, MI

Administration

The administration of the police department is responsible for the overall management and direction of the department and consists of the Chief of Police and three captains. Each captain is in charge of one of the department's three divisions. The divisions of the department include the Administrative Services Division, the Uniform Division and the Investigative Division. Chief Lee Gavin's captains are Captain John W. Labenne, Captain Richard Duffany and Captain Jeffrey Seipenko.

Meet The Administration

Chief Lee Gavin Chief Gavin was sworn in as the 11th Chief of Police of the Dearborn Heights Police Department on May 30, 2008. Chief Gavin is a lifelong resident of Dearborn Heights and is a graduate of Crestwood High School. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Wayne State University and has a Master of Liberal Studies degree from Eastern Michigan University. Chief Gavin is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University's School of Police Staff and Command.
Captain John W. LaBenne Captain John W. LaBenne is in charge of the Administrative Services Division. Captain LaBenne was hired by the Dearborn Heights Police Department as a police officer in 1982. He was promoted to sergeant in 1995 and promoted to lieutenant in 1998. Captain LaBenne was sworn in as a captain on May 15, 2003. He is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University's School of Police Staff and Command.
Captain Richard Duffany Captain Richard Duffany is in charge of the Uniform Division. Captain Duffany was born and raised in Dearborn Heights and is the son of a retired Dearborn Heights police officer. Captain Duffany is a graduate of Dearborn Divine Child High School. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology from Eastern Michigan University and has a Juris Doctor degree from Wayne State University Law School. Captain Duffany is a graduate of Northwestern University's School of Police Staff and Command. Captain Duffany was hired by the Dearborn Heights Police Department in 1989 as a police cadet and was promoted to the position of police officer in 1991. He was promoted to sergeant in 2003, promoted to lieutenant in 2005, and sworn in as a captain on October 19, 2008.
Captain Jeffrey Seipenko Captain Jeffrey Seipenko is in charge of the Investigative Division. Captain Seipenko was born and raised in Dearborn Heights and is the son of a retired Dearborn Heights police captain. Captain Seipenko is a graduate of Northwestern University's School of Police Staff and Command. Captain Seipenko was hired by the Dearborn Heights Police Department in 1984 as a police cadet and was promoted to the position of police officer in 1986. He was promoted to sergeant in 1994 where he spent 4 years as an investigator in the detective bureau before being placed in charged of the department's narcotics unit in 1998. Captain Seipenko ran the narcotics unit until he was promoted to lieutenant in 2005. He was sworn in as a captain on June 11, 2008.