Brandon Twp.- Sgt. Pete Burkett is coming home.
The Goodrich resident and former Brandon detective, is returning here as the new sergeant and commander of the Brandon substation.
‘I’m extremely excited,? says Burkett, who has been commander of the Addison Township substation for the past four years. ‘I know the community and the citizens, and we interact on a daily basis.?
Burkett, 42, graduated from Grand Valley State University in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. His first job following graduation was as a police officer and firefighter in Royal Oak Township. He was hired by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office in 1989, and in 1995 came to Brandon to work as a detective. He was promoted to sergeant in 1999 and left Brandon to work at the Oakland County Jail, and then worked as both a command and patrol sergeant in Rochester Hills before returning to headquarters to be sergeant of the special investigations unit.
Burkett is married to Jodi, a special education teacher at Brandon High School, and they have two children in the Goodrich Schools, Connor, 15, and Katie, 12.
‘I’m a people person and I like to be around people everyday, helping them,? he said. ‘I’m really looking forward to being part of the community again.?
Burkett will replace Sgt. Mike Searing who is retiring Dec. 7. Other changes to the Brandon substation roster include the addition of deputies Nicholas Pung and Tim Stratton to the afternoon shift. They replace Deputy Dennis Finney, reassigned to the Marine Division, and Deputy Jim Willyard, reassigned to the Oxford Substation.