Chief Barren Fired

**birwood** · July-04-09, 10:15 AM

My son is a cop in one of the burbs bordering Detroit. The word for a few years now, in the cop circles, was that Sheriff Evans wants to merge DPD with WCSD to create a Regional PD ala... NashvilleTN, Baltimore County MD, LA County...then start absorbing smaller communities who are having financial problems like Ecorse, River Rouge, Redford etc... with him at the helm of course

Supposedly this has Ficanos blessing but there were a few City of Detroit higher ups that had to move on down the road first.

Could this happen......possibly??

**Corktown Mark** · July-04-09, 10:46 AM

birwood -- that is a very thought provoking suggestion. It makes sense to consolidate and become more effective and efficient.
Urbanalliance

**preserve** · July-04-09, 01:14 PM

The Free Press reported that Barren's Asst. Chief, Fleming is going to resign also. Does anyone know if
Shereece Fleming-Freeman is related to the Asst. chief?

**MsChievous** · July-04-09, 01:25 PM

Preserve,

AC Fleming is Ron Fleming, a former DPD commander who was in charge of Coleman Young's exec protection. In my years on DPD, I never heard that Shereece Fleming-Freeman was any relation to Ron Fleming. I don't THINK there's a connection...

**kraig** · July-04-09, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

I think you hit the nail on the head reddog. I had the same 'demotion' bewilderment too, for a minute, but then it made sense.

Bing is up in years, albeit healthy and vigorous, but I would be surprised to see him take the grief of Detroit mayorship with no particular future for him for more than a term or two at the most. If I were in Evan's shoes and wanted to succeed Bing this would be the best move I could make.

Playing ball with Bing lines him better up for his real ambitions. Police Chief of Detroit holds far higer profile, in terms of the Detroit electorate, than Wayne County top cop. But, buyer beware, the position is also fraught with pitfalls. Just ask his ex.

Lowell, you and Reddog are on to something. After Bing does his first full term, he's done. There's no else out there at the moment. Hendrix wasn't banking on Bing winning and was going to run for the full term against Cockrel, but Bing winning spoiled that notion. Cockrel has shown that he can't handle the job and that his leadership and negotiating skills are suspect at best.

So, the question becomes, who's left? This is probably why Kwame feels he can make a comeback. There is a serious leadership vacuum in this city. If Warren Evans is considered the heir apparent to Bing, that may be enough to get him elected in 2013.

**kit1007** · July-04-09, 03:42 PM

Originally Posted by RayStar

Bad move for Bing.

Can he fight this being fired. Where is the UNION or is he excluded because of his position as Chief He gave Detroit cops badley needed encouragement and leadership, I just hope they keep up their good work, they have a rough , dangerous job I would never even think of doing.

**R8RBOB** · July-04-09, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by preserve

The Free Press reported that Barren's Asst. Chief, Fleming is going to resign also. Does anyone know if
Shereece Fleming-Freeman is related to the Asst. chief?

I believe Fleming-Freeman was demoted after Bully-Cummings left the force.

MIRepublic · July-04-09, 04:43 PM

Whether you like Bing or not, this is just an insane move. I can understand a mayor want his or her own police chief, but these aren't normal times. He should have at least waited until after the election if he wanted to make the switch.

This isn't just a loss especially considering who he is replacing him with, but a bad political and strategic move. Really, this is nothing short of insane. It doesn't just reek of quid-pro-quo, as it's now obvious that Bing cut a deal with Warren back during the primaries, but after Warrne's recent games with Ficano, it's more than clear he's not even competent enough to successfully run a department as in need of reform as the DPD, let alone, him being a better chief than Barren.

To put it more simply, if you're going to play politics with a police chief or cabinet member, at least don't take a step down in quality. And, if you're going to subject the city to that, at least have the decency of waiting until all of the elections are done to make the change. Jeeze.

Bearinabox · July-04-09, 05:07 PM

Originally Posted by MIRepublic

And, if you're going to subject the city to that, at least have the decency of waiting until all of the elections are done to make the change. Jeeze.

Eh, maybe it's better this way. At least we know who not to vote for.

**leland_palmer** · July-04-09, 08:31 PM

According to John Bennett the ramifications of this move are already being felt.

According to sources General Motors has asked for all of its vehicles back because of the termination of Chief James Barren. Also we've learned that the crime summit set to begin in a week has been canceled. The summit was to involve all the major law enforcement agencies in the State of Michigan....

Sources say those agencies will make a joint statement about Barrens firing.

Buy American · July-04-09, 09:03 PM

Originally Posted by kit1007

Can he fight this being fired. Where is the UNION or is he excluded because of his position as Chief He gave Detroit cops badley needed encouragement and leadership, I just hope they keep up their good work, they have a rough , dangerous job I would never even think of doing.

Barren is an appointee, therefore, no union is involved.

**Just Amazed** · July-04-09, 09:07 PM

Oh my this is all looking very bad. Bing what were you thinking

lilpup · July-04-09, 09:45 PM

Why would GM ask for all of its vehicles back due to a termination - that sounds false - the cancellation of the summit sounds fishy, too - not really believing Bennett on this.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · July-04-09, 11:28 PM

Originally Posted by lilpup

Why would GM ask for all of its vehicles back due to a termination - that sounds false - the cancellation of the summit sounds fishy, too - not really believing Bennett on this.

Sounds like a rumor to me.

**jackie5275** · July-05-09, 12:33 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell

I think you hit the nail on the head reddog. I had the same 'demotion' bewilderment too, for a minute, but then it made sense. ... Playing ball with Bing lines him better up for his real ambitions. Police Chief of Detroit holds far higer profile, in terms of the Detroit electorate, than Wayne County top cop. But, buyer beware, the position is also fraught with pitfalls. Just ask his ex.

We'll see how long Evans can keep a higher profile in a month after the primary election. If Bing makes that cut, we'll see how things pan out in the general election. This will be quite interesting to watch.

**jackie5275** · July-05-09, 12:44 AM

Originally Posted by birwood

My son is a cop in one of the burbs bordering Detroit. The word for a few years now, in the cop circles, was that Sheriff Evans wants to merge DPD with WCSD to create a Regional PD ala... NashvilleTN, Baltimore County MD, LA County...then start absorbing smaller communities who are having financial problems like Ecorse, River Rouge, Redford etc... with him at the helm of course

Supposedly this has Ficanos blessing but there were a few City of Detroit higher ups that had to move on down the road first.

Could this happen......possibly??

There had been a move a few years ago to have a Regional Justice Center that Ficano had been pushing. This was more so to have a centrally located court/jail/youth home site that would be for Wayne, Oakland, & Macomb counties to share resources, primarily inmate housing. It seems to me that economic reasons have sort of put the brakes on this project.
The WCSD is in the County Charter as an elected office. I don't think it can be merged with any other entity without the charter being changed.
As far as Evans wanting to take over smaller, financially troubled communities, I don't see that happening. WCSD contracted with Highland Park for 3 yrs to patrol that community. They weren't fully paid & are still owed a lot of money by HP. I don't think Evans would want to try that again with Ecorse, etc. after this HP experience.

**Gannon** · July-05-09, 04:12 AM

Is there anything keeping Evans from holding BOTH positions?!

**gnome** · July-05-09, 07:17 AM

If he holds both jobs, he'll really be raking in the dough. Remember, he already is getting retirement pension from Sheriff Dept, another smaller pension from the procesutor's office and his regular paycheck. Toss in what he gets from various properties he owns and Warren Evans is doing alright for hisself.

Lilpup, you're right I think, Bennett is wrong more often than he is right ... he likes to throw out unproveable tidbits of info. How do you prove a meeting isn't going to happen because of Barren?

**R8RBOB** · July-05-09, 08:09 AM

Originally Posted by Gannon

Is there anything keeping Evans from holding BOTH positions?!

Though Evans was elected as sheriff and the chief's job is an appointment, he can not hold both jobs. Confict of interest prevents him from holding both jobs.

**leland_palmer** · July-05-09, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by lilpup

Why would GM ask for all of its vehicles back due to a termination - that sounds false - the cancellation of the summit sounds fishy, too - not really believing Bennett on this.

I think the cars my be going, but that it is unrelated to the Chief beign fired. I seem to remember reading something about it when the auto crisis first hit. I can't remember where now. An agreement may have been up at the end of the fiscal year and it could be a case of 1+1=3?

**leland_palmer** · July-05-09, 09:45 AM

More John Bennett Rumors:

What's about to take place is something we've witnessed all too often in this city government and that is the misuse of funds. We're told that the police department received grants to purchase many items and equipment for officers and chief among those was a new fleet of cars. Barren was told that those federal grant dollars would be used for something other than what the federal government earmark them for. More than likely they're going to use those dollars to cover payroll or fill another budget hole. But when the federal government finds out about this misuse the city will be forced to payback every dime. Keep in mind who's handling the finances for the city, Kilpatrick appointee Norm White, the Chief Financial officer for Dave Bing. He is among several Kilpatrick appointees brought back by Dave Bing at the request of Charles Beckham. White is a key component in a story in the Detroit Free Press about misuse of emergency funds. So he's experienced at cheating. Police department grant writing is about to under go some changes.

**preserve** · July-05-09, 10:14 AM

Fleming-Freeman was demoted, sent out the Northwest District and before you could blink, she was right back at the Central District, in her old job. It's all beginning to sound like Who's on First. People get terminated, then reinstated,
people retire and then get called back and then terminated again. This latest move is not a good omen. I'm in agreement that Bing is just eliminating his opponents.

**Ray1936** · July-05-09, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by preserve

people retire and then get called back and then terminated again.

They never called me back.

Of course, if they did, I wouldn't go.

**Hypestyles** · July-05-09, 05:28 PM

bizarre...

The citizens deserve an explanation, especially in light of the recent student shooting tragedy-- this abrupt shift in leadership can very easily lead to problems.. especially depending on how the rank and file feel about Barren.. and Evans..

based on issues brought up here..

..merged police depts.? curious.. I can see certain people against it on the premise that it might increase the non-detroit resident ranks of officers, patroling inner-city beats.. If money can be saved and efficiency brought up, it might be worth looking into..

So who becomes Wayne Co. Sheriff? is it the deputy sheriff? is there a "special election" that now must take place?