Hometown Heroes: Royal Oak Cops' Mustaches Mean Business

If you think big thick mustaches worn by cops are intended to prove they mean business, your right—and Royal Oak police are guilty as charged.

Take one look at the mustachioed men of the Royal Oak Police Department on the Mustache March Facebook page and you’ll see these men aren’t joking—they’re serious about raising money for autism awareness.

It’s all part of an effort to support Friends of Jacob, a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of area families affected by autism spectrum disorders by providing financial assistance to help with therapeutic interventions, socialization activities, and support networks.

Detective Patrick Stanton, who oddly is sporting his first cop ‘stache, thought having the all the men in the department grow Reno 911-esque mustaches would be a fun lark. Along with Officer Matt Murray, Stanton turned the gag into a fundraiser.

“We have about 48 people who entered Mustache March,” said Stanton. “Not all of them could grow mustaches. We had some wives just chip in money. Everyone gave $20 or more to participate.”

The photos of the candidates up for “Best Mustache Award” can be seen on Facebook. The victor gets a $25 gift certificate to for a haircut and a shave, but the real winners are area kids with autism.

Police issue a check

“Every nickel we raised went to Friends of Jacob,” said Stanton. On Friday he presented Keith Malec, the founder of the organization with a check for $720. Malec’s 11-year-old son, Jacob, came along with him donning a fake mustache of his own. 

“We adopted Jacob when he was 2 weeks old,” said Malec. “We noticed he wasn’t developing like other children his age. We learned he was autistic and cognitively impaired.”

Malec said the cost of treating children with autism pushes some families to the brink of financial ruin and leads others into isolation. Worrying about how a child will react in public situations, Malec said some families end up buckling down in their house.

Friends of Jacob tries to address both issues. The group provides grants for medical bills and therapy and it offers events for families to come together and share success stories about doctors, diets or even babysitters they have tried—and to not feel alone.

Autism warrants awareness

Royal Oak Police Detective Don Swiatkowski is on the board of Friends of Jacob. His 10-year-old son, Jack, was diagnosed with severe autism spectrum disorder seven years ago.

“Don is a great guy,” said Malec. “He’s an outstanding father and he pours his whole heart into this organization.”

Swiatkowski believes a lot of people that have children with autism—when they first get a diagnosis—really get into the advocacy part of it. 

“They may feel a loss of control with their with their child with autism, but they make up for it with things they can control such as fundraising and awareness,” he said.

With the ROPD for 15 years, Swiatkowski handles a variety of cases, including the that resulted in a no contest plea and sentencing just last week. The detective says the nature of his work can weigh heavily on his mind, still he finds time to reach out to attorneys, politicians and school liaisons to bring awareness about autism. 

“I try to educate first responders about how to deal with the nuances and behaviors of people that are on the autism spectrum,” Swiatkowski said. “And I have always been active in legislation initiatives.” 

On the same day last week the Center for Disease Control released a new report showing 1 in 88 children born in 2000 have been diagnosed with autism—up from 1 in 150 of children born in 1994—three bills addressing funding autism coverage passed in the Michigan house and senate.

“It’s the epidemic of this decade,” said Swiatkowski. “It’s very important that people are aware.”

Royal Oak police don’t miss a beat

When Malec reached out to Swiatkowski and asked him to be on the board of Friends of Jacob, little did he know it would result in the support of the entire department. Trying to control his emotions, Malec said he could not believe the Royal Oak police, with their demanding jobs, would not miss a beat in organizing Mustache March for his organization and the families it serves.

That’s how the cops roll in Royal Oak.

To vote for the best cop mustache visit the Mustache March Facebook page.

To learn more about Friends of Jacob, visit the group’s website at friendsofjacob.org. The group is in need of volunteers to help the organization with fundraising and events.

In addition you can purchase "Thumbs-Up" squares for $1 at the in downtown Royal Oak.  All proceeds will go to benefit Friends of Jacob Foundation.

On April 27, Friends of Jacob will host a wine-tasting event at La Sala Banquet and Event Center, located in Rochester Hills at 6840 North Rochester Road. Attendees can sample appetizers and more than 100 wines from around the world. The event runs from 7 – 10 p.m. Tickets are $30 in advance; $40 at the door.