Deputy Chief Ceo Plans Busy Retirement After 41-year Career

Jack Ceo may be officially retired. But he sure doesn’t sound like somebody who plans to be idle.

“I’m going golfing up north Thursday and Friday. On Monday, we’re meeting with the people from Lindenberg. Then we’ve got the visitors from Brecon, Wales here for two weeks,” said Ceo, who retired last week as Saline’s Deputy Police Chief after 12 years on the job and 41 years in law enforcement. “After that, it’s bow hunting season. I’ll be up in a tree waiting for the deer to walk by. Then it’s gun season. Then it’s Thanksgiving, and before you know it, New Year’s Eve is here.”

By then, Ceo might have a couple months of activities on his calendar.

Ceo came to the Saline Police Department after 26 year in the Ann Arbor Department, where he also worked his way up to deputy chief. More than 60 people wished Ceo well at Tuesday’s open house celebrating his career. They included police officers from Saline, Ann Arbor and the entire county, city council members, colleagues who serve with Ceo in various community groups, and friends.

“It was nice to see so many people come out today and wish me well,” said Ceo.

Mayor Gretchen Driskell said she valued Ceo’s service to the city. Ceo also serves on the city’s planning commission and has been involved with the city’s sister city organizations.

“Jack has been a great leader in city hall and a great community member. He’s done a lot for Saline on many different levels,” Driskell said. “As Deputy Police Chief, he showed great vision and brought the department forward through a time of change. He will really be missed in the department.”

Ceo was born in New York. His mother, from Michigan, and father, from New York, met at Fort Custer during World War II and were married when his father returned from France at the conclusion of the war. They moved to Ypsilanti when Ceo was not quite two years old. Ceo graduated from St. John’s High School in Ypsilanti. His goal as a youngster was to work as a lawyer, but when he joined the army and worked as a military police officer, he had a change of heart.

“I liked the whole idea of solving crimes. I liked chasing and catching the bad guys and realized I’d rather be out on the street doing the work than in the court room arguing about it,” Ceo said.

In his 26 years at Ann Arbor Police, Ceo became friends with Paul Bunten, who became chief of the Saline Department.

“I worked with Paul in Ann Arbor and found it enjoyable. When his deputy chief was retiring, I was eligible to retire from Ann Arbor. Paul called me and told me he’d be happy to have me work with him in Saline, but that I needed to make a decision quickly,” Ceo said. “I took him up on his offer and the rest is history.”

Ceo said he never lost his love for the job.

“That was the hard thing about retiring. I’ve been blessed in that I found work I enjoy. I still enjoy the work. I’m not on the street anymore. But I liked helping the department along and guiding the young police officers,” Ceo said. “We have a really good group of men and women in the department, who solve crimes and help keep Saline safe. I’ve been proud to be a part of it and it’s something the community should be proud of.”

Driskell and city council already put Ceo to use in a new role. At a recent meeting, Ceo was tapped to represent Saline on a committee picking someone to serve the region on a countywide transit committee.

“I nominated Jack because he’s very thoughtful in the decision-making process and he does his homework,” Driskell said. “He’s the kind of person you rely on in management to make the right decisions.”

Ceo said he plans to stay active in the community, but he cautioned the Mayor and others who might ask him to serve in their groups.

“I’ll be happy to help, but don’t be rushing me,” said with a laugh. ”When you retire, people think you’re fair game to serve on everything.”

Ceo and his wife, Pam, raised two children. Son John Ceo is a teacher in Madison Heights. He and his wife have two children. Daughter Christina Coppens is married and living in California, where she works as an accountant.