Berkley Public Safety Department

Berkley Public Safety Department protects the city of Berkley, Michigan through an integrated public safety model in which sworn personnel are cross-trained and dual-certified as both police officers and firefighters, and licensed at minimum as Emergency Medical Responders, with some holding EMT or Paramedic credentials. Advanced life support and patient transport are provided in partnership with Alliance Mobile Health.

The department traces its fire service roots to 1924, when volunteers formed a fire department that operated separately from the police department (sharing a facility) until the two merged in 1984 to create the current combined public safety agency. Beyond day-to-day structure fire and EMS response, the department fields specialized capabilities through regional mutual aid: officers serve on the Oakland County hazmat team (MABAS 3201), which maintains a large fleet of specialized apparatus and CBRN detection equipment, and on a technical rescue team trained in collapse, trench, confined space, rope, and water rescue.

The department is led by Director of Public Safety Matthew Koehn, who began his public safety career as a volunteer firefighter after graduating from Berkley High School and rose through patrol, detective, and assistant chief roles before taking the top job in October 2017.

Berkley Public Safety hires cross-trained Public Safety Officers (dual police/fire certified) as well as dispatchers, animal control officers, records clerks, and crossing guards. The department posts openings as they arise "through MCOLES, Academies, News Media and Social Networking" and directs applicants to the City of Berkley's employment portal for current postings and to submit a general application in the meantime.