Skip to Content
  • Contact Us
  • Text Size

 allentownpa.gov - Metro Government of Allentown (Print logo)

News Archive

Granitz Appointed Interim Chief of Police

09/11/2019
Granitz Appointed Interim Chief of Police
Mayor Ray O’Connell today appointed Glenn Granitz Jr. interim police chief in Allentown. He made the announcement during a morning news conference in City Council Chambers.

Granitz succeeds interim Chief Tony Alsleben who retired from the department on Friday.

Granitz joined the department in 2001 and graduated from the Allentown Police Academy.

He was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division as a detective in 2005. In 2008 he joined the Lehigh County Homicide Task Force and was involved in multiple homicide arrests and convictions in cases dating back as far as 1998.

In 2010 Granitz was promoted to Detective/Sergeant in the Criminal Investigations Division overseeing investigations in the areas of homicides, robberies, sexual assaults, property crimes and more.

In 2013 Granitz was selected to lead the Youth & Community Services Division of APD, evaluating and assigning investigations and supervising all youth detectives and school resource officers. Additionally, during that time he oversaw APD’s Gang Intelligence initiatives.

Granitz was promoted to lieutenant in May 2015 and was assigned to the third platoon being responsible for directing police response and positioning of personnel for call response and crime prevention of on-duty personnel.

He was promoted to captain in August 2017 serving center city, overseeing the fourth platoon and all officers assigned to patrol the center city area, including the Center City Bike Unit.

“Chief Granitz is well-prepared for his new role,” said O’Connell. “His career path has taken himself across just about every facet of policing. He has spent years expanding the department’s community outreach. He is well known to community groups and community leaders, especially in the center city police service area.”

Granitz said, “I am both humbled and ready to lead the Allentown Police Department. I have had the privilege of working in both the investigative and patrol divisions allowing me to see this department from multiple angles during my career. I believe in the men and women of APD and am excited to continue building strong community ties between our residents and our police officers.

Granitz holds a B.S. from Saint Joseph’s University and an M.S. in Criminal Justice Administration from University of Cincinnati. He has taken three courses toward his doctorate and is currently obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management.

Granitz is also a graduate of the Northwestern University – School of Police Staff & Command. He has completed the FBI-LEEDA Command Leadership training and the FBI-LEEDA Executive Leadership Training, among multiple other law enforcement supervisory trainings.

Granitz is on the board of directors as well as a member of numerous community groups. Granitz currently resides in the city’s West Park section near William Allen High School with his wife and three children.

--30--

Posted in: Homepage, Police | View Count: (3747)