Wyandotte Officer Honored With President's Call to Service Award

Wyandotte police detective Scott Galeski was presented with the President's Call to Service Award Monday at the regularly scheduled Wyandotte City Council meeting.

Galeski, 48, of Wyandotte, has an estimated 7,000 hours of community service in the City of Wyandotte, which far exceeds the minimum of 4,000 hours required to receive the award.

Galeski long-time friend, Wayne County Sheriff's Deputy Chris Kowalske, surprised him with the award and highlighted some of the milestones in his career and personal life.

"I had no idea," Galeski said. "I've had a wonderful career and the kids are the most important."

Here are a few of the highlights described in the meeting:

• Coached baseball, football, track and wrestling in Wyandotte, Woodhaven, Riverview and Fordson from 1980 to 2010.
• Sworn in as a Wyandotte police officer in 1990.
• Awarded rookie of the year by the Fraternal Order of the Police in 1991.
• Became a member of the department's Drug Use Resistance and Education (DARE) program in 1992.
• Awarded the Congressional Police Medal from Congressman John Dingell in 1999.
• Awarded the National Narcotics Officer of the Year Award by Drug Free America for a record number of drug-related arrests in 2003.
• Promoted to the detective bureau of the Wyandotte Police Department in 2003.
• Became one of the oldest police officers to complete the Special Weapons And Tactics operators training in 2006. He was 42.
• Developed the Wyandotte branch of the Downriver Detroit Cadets, formerly the Wyandotte Explorers, in 2008, which has become one of the largest youth police programs in the country.

The Call to Service Award is a small blue pin emblazoned with a gold bald eagle and endorsed by President Barack Obama.

Galeski tributes his success to his father, retired Wyandotte police officer and current city councilman, Daniel Galeski. Galeski presented his father with the pin shortly after the meeting.

"I am because of him," Galeski said.

Some of Galeski's other accomplishments are representing the United Stated in the World Police and Fire Games in Melbourne, Australia, where he took fifth place in 1995 and co-creating several independent films with his brother, Daniel Galeski Jr.

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