A Message from Director of Public Safety/Chief of Police Scott Hilden

It is a privilege and honor to serve the residents of Northville Township. This is a very special community. Our department takes great pride in providing a high level of customer service and we work diligently around the clock to keep our community safe. Whether you live here, work here or are here to enjoy our many amenities, we welcome everyone.

Our Police Department has a defined set of fundamental beliefs and ideals found in our core values: service, trust, and respect. Each member of our department exemplifies these values in our delivery of service to each one of you.  You should demand no less. I want to thank you for the tremendous support we receive from our community. It is truly inspiring when a police department can establish such a great partnership with its residents.

Our commitment to providing excellent service never wavers. With every initiative, we strive to leave Northville Township and our agency in a better place. We recently introduced a three-part policing strategy that captures this:

  1. Community Policing. We divided Northville Township into four community policing zones (north, south, central and west). A pair of team leaders — a lieutenant and a sergeant — watch over an assigned zone. It is the team’s responsibility to ensure your neighborhoods remain safe and to address any community needs. This allows you to get to know the officers in your neighborhood, and the officers to know you.
     

    Simultaneously, it assists the officers by understanding the unique needs of fellow residents and businesses in your area. That empowers each officer to identify potential problems in your neighborhood and resolve them before they become significant. It’s relationship building at its finest. 

    To see which zone your neighborhood is in, please visit Community Policing. 

  2. Partners in Your Safety. This crime prevention partnership brings together law enforcement, residents and businesses to promote problem solving and create safer neighborhoods. It revolves around education, including learning how to identify and report behaviors that are suspicious. You become an extra set of eyes and ears for the Police Department. Recognizing when to call the police and report crimes will shorten our Department’s response time, leading to successful outcomes. The greatest impact on the safety of any community requires its citizens to participate in that safety, becoming “partners.”
     

    To learn more, please visit Partners in Your Safety. 

  3. Support Dog. Comfort and aid are the specialty of our hairiest recruit, Max, a Goldendoodle puppy who joined Northville Township Police in October 2022 as a support dog. 

He is available to anyone during times of crisis, particularly violent or traumatic events. He reduces anxiety and increases communication between witnesses and investigators, whether they are adults or children. He’s also there for officers who may have experienced trauma on the job. He’s good medicine.

He’s also a lot of fun. Max is a welcome presence at community events and inside schools, too. He fosters dialogue between officers and the residents we serve. His softness melts the hearts of everybody who pets him.

These innovative approaches help us connect and engage our community, while we uphold individual rights and protections guaranteed by the Constitution. They are a part of our firm commitment toward continuous improvement. We want to be better because you deserve the best. We are your partners, always.