Richfield swears in Janelle Brooks as fire chief; Mike Dobish retires after 29 years

The Richfield City Council on June 10 honored the retirement of Fire Chief Mike Dobish and swore in Janelle Brooks as the city’s new fire chief.

City Manager Rodriguez introduced the ceremony, noting Chief Dobish’s 29 years in the fire service and 13 years with Richfield, including promotion to fire chief in 2021. The council and staff presented Dobish with his retired fire chief badge and thanked him for leadership, culture work and contributions to regional fire service efforts.

Dobish told the council he was honored to have served and said he was “grateful that Chief Brooks was chosen as my successor, not only as the first female fire chief, but as the best person for the job.”

Assistant Chief Janelle Brooks was sworn in by Clerk Friedrich. During the oath she recited her pledge to “preserve, protect, and defend the charter and ordinances of the city of Richfield,” and to “lead with integrity, humility and purpose.” Brooks told the council her vision for the department is “rooted in integrity, collaboration, and progress,” and said she intends to strengthen existing programs and be honest about areas requiring growth.

City Manager Rodriguez outlined Dobish’s work on the department strategic plan, culture improvements and workforce staffing; she said Dobish used data to justify adding firefighters and helped reduce overtime. Council members and staff praised Dobish’s leadership and welcomed Chief Brooks.

Brooks, who joined the Richfield Fire Department in 2010 and worked her way through department roles, thanked mentors and family and invited attendees to a brief reception at the fire station following the presentation.

The ceremony included remarks from former chiefs in attendance and closed with congratulations from the mayor and council. No formal council action was required to effect the swearing‑in, which was ceremonial and administrative in nature.