Crime & Safety

Wyandotte Grad Now Leads Police Cadet Program

A reorganization at the top of the Downriver Detroit Cadets puts Rebekah Woytowicz in charge.

While turning 21 is an exciting part of a young person’s life, it was bittersweet for Michael Reyna.

Reyna was the highest ranked member of the Downriver Detroit Cadets program, but had to step down as major due to the club’s rules that participants must be 14 to 20.

Reyna was one of the first cadets to enter the program, which formerly was called the Wyandotte Explorers. It restarted in 2008 after being earlier disbanded.

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“Michael has been an outstanding leader,” said Wyandotte Detective Scott Galeski, who oversees the program. “He’s a great young man.”

Reyna was all smiles during a presentation in front of the Wyandotte City Council where it was revealed that he had been hired by a federal corrections agency. He said he’s confident the cadet program helped him land the job.

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“I can’t say enough about this program and what it’s done for me,” he said. “It’s really a family. It’s not just a program.”

Reyna of Riverview said he’s enjoyed his time with the cadets, including helping to police the annual fireworks show and volunteering with the .

“I really couldn’t have done anything like this without the support from my family and friends,” he said. “I just hope that I’ve helped this program out a lot by bringing people in.”

With Reyna aging out of the program, Rebekah Woytowicz was promoted from captain to major and Darryl Terrell was bumped from cadet commander to captain.

Woytowicz of Wyandotte is now the highest-ranking cadet in the state of Michigan. The graduate is enrolled at Madonna University.

“I’m glad I got a chance to be in this program,” she said. “I have learned a lot and I hope to get to learn a lot more while I’m still here.”

Terrell of Ecorse said being a cadet has helped turn his life around. Without it, he said, he would be in prison today.

Without hesitation, he talked about being a “terrible kid” in his early high school years before being connected to the program and more importantly, with its leader.

“He’s been the father I haven’t had in my life,” Terrell said of Galeski. “He’s done things for me that no one else has done in my life.”

The cadet is now a straight-A student and was offered a walk-on spot on Ferris State University's football team in the fall.

The Downriver Detroit Cadet Program is the largest Police Youth Cadet Program in the country, according to its Facebook page.

Instructors from local, county, state and federal agencies volunteer their time to teach students about all aspects of law enforcement, including patrol, arrest techniques, firearms, forensics, traffic accident investigations, self defense, physical fitness and courtroom procedures. After completing the required training, the student can accompany officers on patrol.

There are 64 cadets registered in the program. Of those, Galeski said, 19 are in college and all have received A's in their criminal justice courses.

Since 2008, Galeski said, cadets have completed more than 5,000 community service hours and won numerous awards.

Wayne County Sheriff Deputy Christopher Kowalske said it’s a “true privilege” to be a part of the program and said he gives credit to everyone involved.

“Our cadets are the program,” he said.

was lauded for helping to restart the program.

“If we take one kid that starts in this program and it makes them do better at school, … stay out of trouble and go onto college, I think we’ve done good,” he said. “It’s an outstanding group and I can’t say enough for them.”

For more information on the program, call Galeski at 734-324-4434.


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