MORENCI — The Morenci City Council voted on Sept. 15 to approve the hiring of Nathan Adams as the city’s next police chief.
Michael Cresswell is retiring from that position and will move into the part-time role of deputy chief at the end of the year.
Cresswell, city clerk and superintendent Jeff Bell, and the public safety committee of the city council all agreed that the chief’s position should be posted internally first. Adams, who was already a Morenci police officer and had recently been moved from part-time to full-time status, applied and was interviewed by the public safety committee. The committee recommended him for the job.
Adams has been with the Morenci Police Department for about three years. He retired from the Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office as a sergeant. In that role he managed a staff of between 10 and 12 employees and was responsible for day-to-day operations of the Lenawee County Jail. Before working for the sheriff’s office, he served 10 years with the Ypsilanti Police Department as both a patrol officer and detective.
He also currently serves on the Sand Creek school board.
The memo from the public safety committee to the full council recommending Adams’ appointment stated, “What truly distinguishes Nathan is his leadership philosophy, which centers on collaboration, mentorship, and conflict resolution. He is deeply committed to supporting fellow officers through coaching and constructive feedback, fostering a culture of mutual respect and continuous improvement.”
As Adams transitions into his new role, both he and Cresswell are concurrently holding the title of police chief, with Cresswell having primary command authority and Adams acting as second-in-command while he completes onboarding and training. Adams will assume full command responsibilities on Jan. 1, at which point Cresswell will step into the deputy chief role.