DEARBORN — Dearborn Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr., has selected Commander Gregg A. Brighton as deputy chief of the police department.

In his new post, Brighton will oversee police department operations while the selection process continues to fill the post of Chief of Police, left vacant by Chief Michael Celeski’s sudden passing on July 28.

“Gregg Brighton is an excellent police officer with experience in many different facets of law enforcement,” said Mayor O’Reilly. “I’m confident of his ability to lead the department during this challenging period of transition.”

An 18-year veteran of the Dearborn Police Department, Brighton, age 52, has served in many different roles: everything from street patrol and surveillance work to being part of an FBI narcotics task force and commanding the police SWAT team.

He has led the department’s investigative division for the last two years, serving as one of three commanders who answered directly to the police chief.

Brighton was born in Dearborn. He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Wayne State University. After graduating from the Oakland Police Academy in 1982, he spent seven years as a Bloomfield Hills police officer before joining the force in Dearborn.

Brighton and his wife, Connie, have two adult sons, Bryan and Derek.