October 9, 2007, Canton, MI - Next month Canton Public Safety will say goodbye to five veteran employees.  Retiring from the fire department will be Battalion Chief Tom Davison, Captain David Champagne and Captain David Bukis.  Police department retirements include Deputy Chief Alex Wilson and Patrol Officer Bruce Sutzer.

Battalion Chief Tom Davison was hired onto the fire department in 1977 as a fire cadet.  He was promoted to the rank of Firefighter/EMT in 1979 and to Lieutenant in 2005.  During his 30 years of service, Davison has received numerous awards and citations including unit commendations and life saving awards for meritorious service in the performance of his job.  He has maintained a high level of training and has earned several certifications including his Emergency Medical Technician license and Fire Officer I, II and III.  He graduated from Fire Staff and Command School at Eastern Michigan University in October 2006.  Throughout his career, Davison has received many letters of appreciation from citizens thanking him for his considerate and professional demeanor during their emergency situations.  In his current position, Davison is shift commander overseeing the operation of three fire stations and supervising his shift of three lieutenants and 18 firefighter/paramedics.  He is also in charge of scheduling departmental training, along with ensuring all firefighters complete their mandatory training requirements.  Tom has two daughters, a son-in-law and an eight-month old grandson.  He and his wife, Mona Robbins, plan to move to their new home in North Carolina.

Deputy Chief Alex Wilson was hired onto the police department in 1979 as a Police Sergeant.  He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in 1984 and to Captain in 1990.  Wilson held the position of Patrol Division Commander for several years prior to his current assignment as Staff Operations Commander, where he is responsible for the operation of several bureaus and units including the detective bureau, crime prevention and ordinance enforcement.  Wilson earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice at Sienna Heights College and his Masters in Business Administration from Davenport University.  He has an extensive training background that includes graduation from Northwestern University’s Police Staff and Command School in 1986 and graduation from the highly-acclaimed National FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, in 1992.  Wilson has received many awards and citations commending his leadership skills during police and crime scene investigations.  He has also been recognized for his participation in the Metro-Detroit Police-Fire Pipes & Drums band, playing at ceremonies and memorials across the state.  Alex and his wife Dolores have two sons, two daughters-in-law, and three grandchildren.  

Captain David Champagne was hired onto the fire department in 1974 as a Firefighter/EMT.  During his 33 years of service he worked his way through several positions within the department, including six years in the Fire Prevention Unit first as Fire Inspector, and then as Fire Marshal.  Champagne is currently a station commander at Fire Station #3.  Throughout his career he has received several awards including unit citation, life saving, Ironman and Firefighter of the Year.  Champagne has received numerous letters from citizens over the years, thanking him for his professional and courteous assistance.  During his time in Fire Prevention he played an integral role in the commercial development of Canton, reviewing plans and inspecting buildings.  Champagne has been involved on many committees and most recently has been in charge of the department’s fleet of almost 20 fire vehicles.  Champagne has earned several certifications throughout his career including that of an Emergency Medical Technician, Fire Officer I, II & III, Fire Inspector, and Arson Investigator.  He attended the National Fire Academy for Fire Inspection and Arson Investigation, and graduated from Fire Staff and Command School at Eastern Michigan University.  Dave currently lives in Pinckney with his wife Susan.  He has two sons, a daughter, and two granddaughters.

Captain David Bukis was hired onto the fire department in 1977 as a cadet.  He was promoted to the rank of Firefighter/EMT in 1979 and to Sergeant in 1998.  During his 30 years of service he has served on many committees including those for fire prevention, policies, EMT and uniforms.  Bukis participated in the implementation of the department’s fire safety house and several school education programs.  He has received numerous awards and citations during his career including several life saving awards.  Bukis has an extensive training background and has earned several licenses and certifications including his Emergency Medical Technician license and Fire Officer I, II, and III.  He graduated from Fire Staff and Command School at Eastern Michigan University in 2003.  Bukis is currently assigned as station commander, responsible for the daily operation of the station as well as the firefighter/paramedics assigned to his shift.  He is also in charge of the purchasing of all departmental fire gear and uniforms.  For the past several years he has been involved in actively recruiting new firefighters to the department.  Dave and his wife, Jeanne, have been married for 15 years and have a 12-year old son, Matthew. 

Officer Bruce Sutzer was hired onto the police department in 1979.  During his 28 years of watch over Canton, Sutzer has spent the majority of his career doing what he enjoys most, working as a road patrol officer.  He has become very well-known and respected in the community, interacting with residents and businesses on a daily basis.  Sutzer has received countless letters of appreciation from the public commending him on his courteous and professional demeanor.  References to his patience, kindness and ability to add suitable humor to a stressful situation can be found throughout the cards and letters.   He has also earned many awards and commendations acknowledging his exceptional police work throughout his career including a commendation for meritorious action at the site of a plane crash; a commendation for the apprehension of a serial bank robber; and a certificate of merit for locating and subduing a suicidal subject with self-inflicted wounds.  Sutzer also spent several years as a member of the elite Wayne County Special Operations Team, performing highly-trained special operations and tactics when called for in Canton and surrounding areas. Bruce and his fiancée Gertrude currently live in Canton, with plans to move to their Florida home in the near future. 

Public Safety Director John Santomauro states, “These police officers and firefighters have made a significant contribution to public safety in Canton.  As our Public Safety Department evolved into a first-class emergency response agency, these men influenced change and provided leadership.  Each of them exhibited attributes that made them individually outstanding; yet, their common goal was a higher level of service for the citizens of Canton.  While they will be missed, we wish them all the best in their retirement.”

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