Thursday, September 24, 2009
Detroit Police going back to precinct system
Oralandar Brand-Williams / The Detroit News
Detroit -- The city's police department is going back to precinct-style policing, Detroit Police Chief Warren Evans announced today during a
news conferencehttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/2.gif at the Northwestern district.
Evans said the 6th and 8th precincts will be the first to go back to the old precinct system.
"We think that going back to precincts will give us a better response time," said Evans. "It's important for the citizens, but it's also important to me as the chief of police."
About 40 community activists and neighborhood block club representatives attended the news conference.
"A community has got to have a
home and a precinct is the home," said Evans. "Districts are way too big."
Citizens have been complaining about crime, police response time and a loss of community relations between neighborhoods and police since former Detroit Police Chief Ella Bully-Cummings dismantled the precincts into six districts in 2005 to
save money.
Residents such as Gary McElroy, who attended today's news conference, praised Evans' decision to go back to the 13-precinct system of policing.
"This is something that is long overdue," said McElroy at the news conference.
The precinct system is expected to be in place by March, said Evans. Each precinct will have its own commander, investigative staff and community relations staff.
In a case in which the old precinct building was torn down, the police will work out of a building shared between precincts until a new building is established, said Evans.
Today's news brought a huge smile to the face of Deborah Ross.
Ross, the treasurer of the Riverdale Park Association neighborhood association near McNichols and Beaverland, said she was "getting depressed" over the crime and police presence in her area.
"This has lightened my spirits. I really feel empowered," said Ross over Evans' announcement. "The response time will be quicker. We'll feel safer. Just seeing the police makes you feel so much better."
bwilliams@detnews.com [[313) 222-2027