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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City of Duluth - Police Department
Mike Ceynowa, Chief of Police
2030 North Arlington Avenue • Duluth, Minnesota 55811 • www.duluthmn.gov
2030 North Arlington Avenue • Duluth, Minnesota 55811 • www.duluthmn.gov
For more information contact:
Public Information Officer, Mattie Hjelseth at (218) 730-5434 or mhjelseth@duluthmn.gov
Public Information Officer, Mattie Hjelseth at (218) 730-5434 or mhjelseth@duluthmn.gov
DATE: 3/10/2022
SUBJECT: Deputy Chief of Patrol Steve Stracek Retires, Lieutenant Mike Ceynowa Steps In
BY: Mattie Hjelseth, Duluth Police Department Public Information Officer
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SUBJECT: Deputy Chief of Patrol Steve Stracek Retires, Lieutenant Mike Ceynowa Steps In
BY: Mattie Hjelseth, Duluth Police Department Public Information Officer
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Deputy Chief of Patrol Steve Stracek Retires, Lieutenant Mike Ceynowa Steps In
On Saturday, March 5, Deputy Chief Steve Stracek retired from the Duluth Police Department after 25 years with DPD.
“A year ago, Steve Stracek was tapped to lead the Patrol Division as Deputy Chief,” said Chief Mike Tusken. “I did so knowing his remaining time in this career was short. But his contributions would be many and he held up his end of the bargain.”
Stracek was a patrol officer, Lieutenant, Commander of the Lake Superior Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and most recently the Deputy Chief of Patrol.
“One of Steve’s greatest contributions was sharing his kind, caring, and compassionate heart to all as a servant leader,” said Chief Tusken. “He cared about people and service, and it shined through in his work each day. He is regarded as one of the most talented police officers of our time and we thank him for his dedicated years of service to the citizens of Duluth and wish him our very best in retirement.”
"During my time at the Duluth Police Department, I've had the honor to work alongside many remarkable, professional, and committed police officers and civilian staff. During this time, the department has been able to adjust to changing community expectations while still striving to provide safety in the face of many challenges,” said Steve Stracek, Deputy Chief of Patrol. “I am confident that Mike Ceynowa will continue to build on our community relationships and bolster a culture of high standards and professionalism for himself and our department."
Lieutenant Mike Ceynowa will officially become the Deputy Chief of Patrol on March 13. Prior to this role, Ceynowa held numerous roles at DPD. These include a Patrol Officer, Violent Crimes Unit Investigator, Patrol and Investigative Sergeant, Patrol and Investigative Lieutenant, and lastly Professional Standards Lieutenant.
“In his role as the Professional Standards Lieutenant, Mike shared my values about the critical role training, accountability, and transparency have in building community trust,” said Chief Tusken. “He cares deeply for the people in our community and the staff at DPD. His work ethic and commitment to improving our organization is constant and he is a tireless student of policing and best practices. Mike will help us grow on our arc of continuous improvement as leaders in policing.”
Ceynowa helped build and implement a new Records Management System, which allowed the Duluth Police Department to meet new federal guidelines and streamline our records process.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to continue my career at DPD as the new Deputy Chief of Patrol,” said Mike Ceynowa. “I am most excited to work with the citizens of Duluth and internal staff as we collectively innovate and navigate the future of policing for our community.”
Deputy Chief Mike Ceynowa joins Nick Lukovsky, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division, and Laura Marquardt, Deputy Chief of the Administrative Division as leaders at DPD.
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