Detroit Police Chief James Craig nearly carjacked.

**compn** · October-23-13, 11:55 AM

DETROIT, MI — Upon returning to his estranged hometown, Detroit Police Chief James Craig seemed miffed by motorists' pervasive tendency to disregard traffic signals.

"One thing that I've been critical of, as it relates to... the way the good people in Detroit drive, some of them just blatantly run red traffic signals," Craig said in late-July. "And I don't know if they just have total disregard for traffic laws or they're afraid of being carjacked."

Craig on a recent Friday, just over three months since moving back to Detroit, experienced first hand what can happen while stopped at traffic light his city.
http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/in...es_cra_11.html

i'm glad the article mentioned craig's old opinion on red light running in detroit. obviously not everyone is running red lights to avoid a carjacking, but there is that threat with 582 carjackings this year so far.

**Chicago48** · October-23-13, 05:24 PM

Originally Posted by compn

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/in...es_cra_11.html

i'm glad the article mentioned craig's old opinion on red light running in detroit. obviously not everyone is running red lights to avoid a carjacking, but there is that threat with 582 carjackings this year so far.

Chicago has speed light cams in almost every neighborhood and it has red light cameras....this will have to be installed in Detroit if you want to control the crazy drivers that run red lights and speed. These cams are raising a lot of $$$.

As for the chief being carjacked, yeh, I can see why people run red lights too, but if you have cameras along Jefferson and the main streets, believe me it will stop.

**Johnnny5** · October-24-13, 09:04 AM

"There are certain cars each suspect tends to [[be attracted) to, and I guess they liked my police car — a police car with lights, and one suspect jumped out and began running toward the passenger side of my vehicle ... As soon as I saw the suspect running to my car, I accelerated out of harm’s way.
And then, candidly, I got angry ... I said, ‘I can’t believe this just almost happened.’ .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ....................................... I guess I'll play "armchair cop", but Seriously?? The police chief actually thinks that when a guy is running towards an occupied police cruiser his most likely intention is to steal it? Even in Detroit that would not appear to be a likely scenario. As for not being armed, if he's in a cruiser and is not armed then someone should be losing their job.

**Hypestyles** · October-24-13, 01:31 PM

obviously this shouldn't happen to anyone. But the latest victim is a local nonprofit director: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...text|FRONTPAGE

**compn** · October-24-13, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

obviously this shouldn't happen to anyone. But the latest victim is a local nonprofit director: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...text|FRONTPAGE

so an innocent bystander chases a carjacking suspect , has a shootout with the carjacker and gets shot in the arm!?

lets make him chief of police!

**Honky Tonk** · October-25-13, 07:58 AM

Originally Posted by compn

so an innocent bystander chases a carjacking suspect , has a shootout with the carjacker and gets shot in the arm!?

lets make him chief of police!

@ least he has a gun.

**motz** · October-24-13, 08:58 AM

I have seen a bunch of people spewing anger towards James Craig having left the scene instead of [[I'm not sure what they wanted him to do, but here is my best guess) shooting the guy approaching his car or apprehending the individual or doing whatever it is that these people never ever would've done. It really mystifies me that people love to play armchair cop, while neglecting the fact that Craig may not have had his weapon with him, was obviously outnumbered 2 to 1 in a city where carjackers are notoriously violent. Yep, sounds reasonable, we'll get right on that.

**Aerojoe** · October-24-13, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by motz

I have seen a bunch of people spewing anger towards James Craig having left the scene instead of [[I'm not sure what they wanted him to do, but here is my best guess) shooting the guy approaching his car or apprehending the individual or doing whatever it is that these people never ever would've done. It really mystifies me that people love to play armchair cop, while neglecting the fact that Craig may not have had his weapon with him, was obviously outnumbered 2 to 1 in a city where carjackers are notoriously violent. Yep, sounds reasonable, we'll get right on that.

Not 100% sure but he is not a certified police officer in Michigan so he cannot carry a gun yet. Thats why jerry oliver never carried a gun for the first few years as chief he was not Mcoles certified.

**motz** · October-24-13, 09:30 AM

Originally Posted by Aerojoe

Not 100% sure but he is not a certified police officer in Michigan so he cannot carry a gun yet. Thats why jerry oliver never carried a gun for the first few years as chief he was not Mcoles certified.

Oh man, if the grape throwers or DetNews commenters catch wind of this, you'll hear the dumbest crap spewed out of their mouthes non-stop for weeks. Someone tell them quickly because I need something to be amused with!

**313WX** · October-25-13, 04:44 PM

Originally Posted by motz

Oh man, if the grape throwers or DetNews commenters catch wind of this, you'll hear the dumbest crap spewed out of their mouthes non-stop for weeks. Someone tell them quickly because I need something to be amused with!

Not so much, because this is egg all over the State of Michigan's face [[they appointed the guy who hired Craig, and they failed to ensure he turned in the paperwork in a timely fashion).

**Johnnny5** · October-24-13, 09:34 AM

Originally Posted by Aerojoe

Not 100% sure but he is not a certified police officer in Michigan so he cannot carry a gun yet. Thats why jerry oliver never carried a gun for the first few years as chief he was not Mcoles certified.

If that's true, then that's a ridiculous bureaucracy that needs to be changed. How can someone be the chief of police, but not be certified to carry a weapon?

**brizee** · October-24-13, 09:51 AM

Heard him getting clowned about this on the radio show this morning.

Appearently he called in to a show on his way to a meeting and came off really angry and unprofessional.

A cop leaving the scene of a carjacking to let them go prey on someone else comes off pretty bad. Wait until the nation/international news gets a hold of this.

I'm of the opinion that he excagerated/fabricated some of the story. It was probably supposed to be an "I feel your pain" story told to a church that wasn't supposed to get out. If he retracts it he's a liar, if he doesn't he's a coward.

Even if it's true he's probably better off saving this antecdote until he's retired.

You know the press are hyenas, why throw them red meat?

**compn** · October-24-13, 04:54 PM

someone mentioned in the comments that james craig refused to take the ohio police test when he was chief there as well. so he wasnt allowed to do normal cop things in ohio either.

oh shit... its true:
http://www.fox19.com/story/19475313/...he-test-denied

freep mentioned this when he said he'd take the detroit job.
http://www.freep.com/article/20130514/NEWS01/305140051/

One issue of contention for Craig during his time in Cincinnati has been an ongoing fight over whether he should have to take an entry-level police exam in Ohio. Craig, who does not believe he should have to take the test because of his extensive police background, requested a waiver last year that was denied by the group that oversees police officer certification in Ohio.

so did he take the michigan/detroit test then?

**motz** · October-25-13, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by compn

One issue of contention for Craig during his time in Cincinnati has been an ongoing fight over whether he should have to take an entry-level police exam in Ohio. Craig, who does not believe he should have to take the test because of his extensive police background, requested a waiver last year that was denied by the group that oversees police officer certification in Ohio.

so did he take the michigan/detroit test then?

I think the question should be, why do we focus on someones passed tests and whatnot when we should be worried about how well they do their job? Warren Evans, Ralph Godbee, etc all were certified cops in Michigan, but couldn't keep their hands off fellow officers or hell, do their job in an even reasonably competent manner.

**compn** · October-25-13, 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by motz

I think the question should be, why do we focus on someones passed tests and whatnot when we should be worried about how well they do their job? Warren Evans, Ralph Godbee, etc all were certified cops in Michigan, but couldn't keep their hands off fellow officers or hell, do their job in an even reasonably competent manner.

'the job' as in calling for backup, reporting attempted carjackings and trying to arrest suspects?

maybe chief craig did make a police report. chief craig said in august he wanted to crack down on carjackers. so wheres the description of the suspect in chief craigs carjacking? so the public can look for him?

**motz** · October-25-13, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by compn

'the job' as in calling for backup, reporting attempted carjackings and trying to arrest suspects?

maybe chief craig did make a police report. chief craig said in august he wanted to crack down on carjackers. so wheres the description of the suspect in chief craigs carjacking? so the public can look for him?

Are you part of the crowd who will constantly find problems with everything that everyone does? This is such a tiny blip compared to Warren Evans' shady dealings or Ralph Godbee sleeping with someone underneath him in the department who put a service weapon in her mouth when he broke up with her. I think driving away from a situation he felt uncomfortable in is a lot better than anything any of the previous Chief's have done.

**Honky Tonk** · October-25-13, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by motz

Are you part of the crowd who will constantly find problems with everything that everyone does? This is such a tiny blip compared to Warren Evans' shady dealings or Ralph Godbee sleeping with someone underneath him in the department who put a service weapon in her mouth when he broke up with her. I think driving away from a situation he felt uncomfortable in is a lot better than anything any of the previous Chief's have done.

I would normally agree with you except he IS the Police Chief, and apprehending criminals IS part of his job. If he wants to "make a Police Report", like the rest of us civilians, then he should take a back seat. I'm part of the crowd that's tired of having these high-end applicants hired just to have more of the same.

**compn** · October-25-13, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by motz

Are you part of the crowd who will constantly find problems with everything that everyone does?

nope. i would have done the same thing craig did in that situation.

this issue is going to be a huge media nightmare. where the news will constantly hound him about it and not pay attention to his bad policies or question his leadership in any meaningful way.

i will point out that chief craigs' policy to continue stop and frisk is an idiotic one.
especially after stop and frisk was proven to be:
1. racist , used in stopping blacks and latinos at an overwhelming ratio
2. ineffective
3. unconstitutional.

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/in...mes_cra_5.html

**Downriviera** · October-24-13, 06:07 PM

Car jackings got so bad in South Africa awhile back that people installed spring loaded machetes under the frame by the door. One push of a button on the steering wheel and the machete lopped off the car jackers legs just above the ankle. Some installed flame throwers under the car as well.

**Gannon** · October-25-13, 08:09 AM

Originally Posted by Downriviera

Car jackings got so bad in South Africa awhile back that people installed spring loaded machetes under the frame by the door. One push of a button on the steering wheel and the machete lopped off the car jackers legs just above the ankle. Some installed flame throwers under the car as well.

And of course, these were all engineered and manufactured to the highest quality standards and never...ever...malfunctioned. Uh-huh.

Wowza if anyone does this here, there will be a stampede of personal-injury attorneys...drooling.

We will have to consider the corrosion due the salt used to de-ice the roads...

**compn** · October-25-13, 09:39 AM

DPD Chief James Craig not a certified police officer

Read more: http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/23...police-officer

same problem he had in ohio. thought he would have learned from that one.

**Eber Brock Ward** · October-25-13, 10:21 AM

he's an administrator, not on the beat. i can't believe these people are focusing on this.

if anything, we need mckinsey to run the dept, not a cop.

**steve from virginia** · October-25-13, 07:19 PM

From the M-Live article:#Craig:

"As soon as I saw the suspect running to my car, I accelerated out of harm’s way.

And then, candidly, I got angry ... I said, ‘I can’t believe this just almost happened.’"

- Who was a 'suspect'? A black dude running toward a police car in Detroit or anywhere else in the USA is a suspect?

- Chief profiled the dude as a suspect before the person even opened his mouth or got to within earshot.

- Did the suspect brandish a gun or another weapon? We don't know b/c the Craigster didn't say.

- Was the so-called suspect a person in trouble? Since the police in Detroit run from crime or ignore it, Craig's actions seem typical. When does that change?

- What sort of a [[cowardly) cop runs from a criminal?

- What sort of a police chief who cannot make a radio call? Craig could have turned on his lights and blocked Jefferson and bottled up the putative carjackers behind traffic. Even without a gun he could have been a COP.

- What sort of police chief, a) cannot pass a patrolman's exam, and, b) cannot carry a sidearm?

Craig should be fired tomorrow ... then the entire force should be turned over and restructured. Get rid of the bad apples and start over.

**sumas** · October-26-13, 04:35 AM

Actually I was a little disturbed. I shop Jefferson all the time. Every Saturday we take neighbors with no cars shopping, mostly seniors. First I heard was our pastor saying two congregants got mugged and jacked on Jefferson, and an additional report and now our police chief. I won't stop shopping my neighborhood but I am on high alert.

**Baselinepunk** · October-26-13, 07:20 AM

I don't know about everybody else but I like living in a city where my police chief can bring it to a criminal and not have to retreat like some "Brave Sir Robin".

Quick question -- sure, forgo the test that would make him a 100% law enforcement but why not get a CCW and be in a position to at least make a citizen arrest?

I mean, let's say Craig is on site someplace, and he and a couple of officers come across a situation where they are outnumbered/gunned -- does the Chief have to hightail it the hell outta there and leave his officers?

Come to think of it, is there any way that this story can be corroborated to make sure that it's not merely being presented for the sake for furthering a certain agenda --- all things considered currently?