History of Law Enforcement-Hamburg

Hamburg Township was formed by an act of the Legislative Council of the Territory of Michigan on March 26, 1835. The first township meeting was held on April 20, 1835 where the first township officials were elected. At that meeting George Galloway was chosen as the first Hamburg Township Constable. In 1836, Livingston County was organized and the Livingston County Sheriff assumed primary responsibility for criminal investigations in Hamburg Township while Hamburg Township constables handled minor complaints within the township.

The first permanent Michigan State Police Post in Brighton was established in 1936 and was located on the corner of Grand River and U.S. – 23.  Troopers and detectives from the MSP –Brighton Post provided full police services and conducted criminal investigations for the Livingston County area from this facility, including Hamburg Township. The Michigan State Police and Livingston County Sheriff’s Department continued to be the primary law enforcement agencies that provided police services and patrol coverage for Hamburg Township until the formation of the Hamburg Township Police Department in 1979.

The Hamburg Township Police Department began on October 22, 1979 when the Hamburg Township Board of Trustees unanimously passed a resolution to establish and maintain its own local police department. The Board of Trustees allocated funds for the formation and operation of the newly-created Hamburg Township Police Department and selected its first police chief, Joseph Fabits, who was sworn in on December 3, 1979.

Since that first full-time officer was sworn in to provide basic police coverage, the Hamburg Township Police Department has grown to 18 full-time officers and, in addition to providing road patrol services, now includes the following services: having an officer assigned full time to the Livingston and Washtenaw Narcotics Enforcement Team (LAWNET), having an officer assigned full time as a traffic safety specialist engaging in commercial motor vehicle enforcement,  having two officers assigned full time as a criminal investigators, having officers assigned to the Livingston Regional SWAT Team, having an officer assigned to the Livingston County Dive & Rescue Team, providing routine marine patrols on the Chain of Lakes, providing for seasonal patrols of the Lakelands Trail and operating a successful police reserve officer program as well.

Hamburg Township has only had 4 police chiefs in its 44-year history:

• Joseph Fabits - 12/03/1979 – 03/31/1985
• Robert Krichke -  04/01/1985 – 04/28/2006
• Steve Luciano -  07/10/2006 – 03/18/2011
• Richard Duffany -  06/08/2011 – Present