COMMUNITY
FOCUSED
Founded in 1941, the Oxford Village Police Department focuses on maintaining social order and peace, as well as provides law enforcement services. The department is a member of the Oakland County Chiefs Association as well as the Michigan Police Chiefs Association.
The department operates an administration division that oversees the day-to-day operations of the agency. Along with the administration, it also has both a patrol division, which handles all calls for service, and a detective bureau that provides various investigation services.
Located in Oxford, Mich., the department offers an array of programs to the community. The programs we offer are designed to provide information to residents and visitors about various subjects such as personal safety, building security and general community awareness.
Micheal Solwold
Chief
Clint Ascroft
Sergeant
DEPARTMENT
SERVICES
Our Mission
The Oxford Police Department provides a safe and secure community for its residents, businesses and visitors. We are committed in maintaining the highest respect, confidence and trust of the citizens.
ADMINISTRATION
The Administration Division consists of Chief Solwold and Sergeant Ascroft. The main goal of this division is to oversee the day-to-day operations of the police department as a whole.
RESERVE OFFICERS
This division consists of 10 reserve officers. This division is completely voluntary and has no cost to the tax payers. The main goal of this division is to supplement the patrol division. They patrol on foot, on bike or patrol car in the downtown area. They also handle most of the traffic control assignments for holiday parades and other special events. If you have any questions regarding the Reserve Division, they can be directed to Chief Solwold at 248-628-2838.
DETECTIVE BUREAU
This division handles all follow-up and on-going investigations. The bureau is part of the Patrol Division headed up by Sergeant Ascroft. Any requests for information regarding an on-going investigation must go through either the Chief of Police or the Sergeant of the Patrol Division. Including fraud and identity theft.
RECORDS
The Records Division, headed by Chief of Police, handles all filing of police reports, requests for copies of reports (fee-based service), incoming evidence, cost recovery and other miscellaneous items. Any requests for copies of reports can be requested by calling 248-628-2838.
PATROL
The Patrol Division has 9 Certified Officers (7 full time and 2 part time) that patrol the streets within the Village 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. One of the main goals of this division is to be the communities personal link to the police department.
DEPARTMENT CHAPLIN
The Village of Oxford Police Department has a dedicated individual that handles Chaplain duties. Our Chaplin is available 24 hours a day to assist officers and citizens during times of tragic events.
DEPARTMENT HISTORY
The Village of Oxford was incorporated in 1876 and at that time appointed its first Village Marshal, who was the only “law” in town for many years. In the early 1900’s after a rash of suspicious fires and break-in’s in the Downtown area, merchants approached the Village Council to hire a “Night Watchman” who was empowered as a Deputy Village Marshal.
In 1925 Jay Gould, the then Village Night Watchman, was shot and killed while on foot patrol at the corner of Washington and Burdick Streets. The person(s) responsible were never located and there were no eyewitnesses. Newspapers of the era speculated that Officer Gould was shot by a “group of thugs” or “gangsters” because he interrupted criminal activity.
In 1941 The Village of Oxford’s population had grown significantly to convince the Village Council that the town needed additional law enforcement coverage. It was at this time that the Oxford Police Department was officially founded. Patrol Officers were hired to provide coverage around the clock and the town's first patrol car was purchased. The first full-time Officer hired was Albert Roberts, who later became the Chief of Police in 1948 and remained the Chief of the Department until 1973 when he retired after serving 32 years.
In the early years the Police Department relied on private telephone answering services to receive requests for service. Over the course of the years the department continued to grow and offered police services to the township residents as well.
In 1999 Township residences voted to not renewal the mileage for police services from Village police department. At this time the department downsized it's force and continued police services for the village.
In 2016, after 60 years of maintaining their own communications division that handled radio traffic through patrol officers on the road, The Village council decided to contract with Oakland County Sheriff's Office in efforts to cut operations costs.
CONTACT
US
OUR ADDRESS
22 W Burdick St Oxford, MI 48371
For any general inquiries please email us: records@thevillageofoxford.org
Emergency: 911
Dispatch Non-Emergency: 248-858-4911
Records: 248-628-2838
Fax: 248-628-7030