John Leacher, chief of public safety. Ruby Go | Washtenaw Voice.
By RJ Hunt
Editor
This past May, John Leacher was hired to become WCC’s new chief of public safety and emergency management. He is taking over for Jamie Zecman who was the interim chief. Leacher takes the job with 35 years of experience in law enforcement services, serving in Romulus, Flat Rock, and Dearborn.
Leacher found out about the job opening on the Michigan association of chiefs of police website. Leacher was content with his job in Dearborn and even thought he was going to retire from law enforcement there. Then, he found out about the job opening at WCC. “Honestly, I looked at it and wasn’t going to, but something kept calling me back,” said Leacher. “I kept going, maybe this is the place where I have that niche and where I have a purpose again.”
Leacher believes the new position is going to allow him to interact and connect with the community. “Community policing is where my heart has always been,” said Leacher. “There’s no better place than (WCC) to engage with young people, to have conversations. Ones that I know will not always be easy.” Leacher realizes people on campus will have concerns, but he wants those concerns to be heard. Leacher’s goal is to encourage student success. “I always tell people that our very last result is arresting someone,” said Leacher. Instead of arresting someone, Leacher would rather have a conversation, so there is an understanding of what can and what can’t happen on this campus.
WCC has been welcoming to Leacher. “Oh my gosh, this is an awesome campus,” said
Leacher. He mentioned that everyone has been supportive and helpful since he’s taken over the chief position.
Leacher wants to make sure students are successful at WCC and they have what they need to feel safe on campus. He wants to emphasize he is open to talking to students and faculty and address whatever they feel is needed. He is willing to come to student groups and student organizations. He gets that they may not agree on everything, but he wants to at least have a conversation so everyone has an understanding of one another. “(We can) do a presentation on something or we can have a roundtable and talk,” said Leacher. “I’m 100% all about that. People can stop by anytime.”