Detroit police promotion ceremony ushers in next generation of leaders

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Friday was an emotional night for dozens of members of the Detroit Police Department and their families. The promotion ceremony was held at Greater Grace Temple Church.

Sandra Whitfield, now a detective with DPD, was honored as the department’s Women in Blue Officer of the year in 2019. She’s also the first African-American female to be appointed to the DPD Underwater Recovery Team.

"I started off working in the recreation department as a life guard, so I’ve been working for the city since I was 16 years old," she said.

"I am so very proud of her, she as done things that I would have never done," said her mother, Janice Whitfield. "I mean diving down 50 feet of water, I’m just so impressed, I am so proud of her accomplishments and everything, and I just know she’s going to go so far."

"Leadership is all about you but it’s not about you," said Detroit Police Chief James White. "It’s about the people you make an impact on - it’s about those people that you help - remember why we took this job, we took this job to help people."

Promoted from officer to detective, Joseph Dicicco has deep ties to law enforcement. His dad Larry is retired DPD, his older brothers Mike and Bill currently work for the department.

"It is always overwhelming for the support I have from my family and stuff like that," said Joseph Dicicco, newly promoted DPD detective.

Their father Larry, is a retired DPD sergeant.

"I'm proud of all my boys," said Larry Dicicco. "They followed in my father-in-law's footsteps also. And we've passed the badges down from generation to generation."

The Dicicco men are so dedicated to the city they serve, they all have matching tattoos of the Old English D.