Todd Bettison has repeatedly said he’s the guy for the job of Detroit’s top cop since the day he was named interim police chief in October.
Today, Mayor Mike Duggan officially agreed.
Duggan announced Monday that he wants Bettison to remain police chief and will recommend the former deputy mayor to city council, who within 30 days will vote to either approve or move against the recommendation.
Related:
- Meet the 5 candidates for top job with Detroit Police
- Deputy Mayor Todd Bettison appointed interim Detroit police chief
- Detroit police chief selected to lead Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network
Duggan appointed Bettison as interim chief after James White left his job to become CEO of the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network. He was officially sworn-in in November, when he declared:
“You’re looking at your permanent chief right now …. I don’t see anybody that’s better.”
Per a requirement in the city charter, the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners conducted a national search for a new police chief. Although board members themselves and a plethora of community members have voiced support for Bettison during the process, stating there likely would not be a candidate with the qualifications and strong ties to the community that Bettison has.
Commissioners interviewed a handful of candidates during a Jan. 30 board meeting, when nearly every public speaker that attended urged the board to choose Bettison. Numerous grassroots leaders in community violence intervention work, whom Bettison has worked closely with during his role as deputy mayor, voiced their support.
Other candidates who were being considered were not from Detroit, or Michigan, and faced controversies in past law enforcement jobs, including terminations and allegations of misconduct and abuse, according to a Bridge Detroit report.
Bettison, a 27-year police veteran, was second-in-command to White prior to becoming deputy mayor in 2022 and described by the city as “one of the fastest rising members” of the Detroit Police Department. He’s widely known for his presence in Detroit’s communities. The city has also described him as someone who “serves as a bridge to community leaders and activists across the political spectrum.”
Bettison has said he intends to take a preventative approach to public safety while still being tough on crime. Bettison led the city’s “ShotStopper” community-based program to reduce gun violence in Detroit’s most violent neighborhoods during his time as deputy mayor. It’s a program the city touts as largely successful amid historic drops in homicides in Detroit.
Bettison has worked with community violence intervention groups for over a decade, the city said.
Bettison reported on city disclosure statements that he lives in Farmington Hills, according to a July report from the Detroit Free Press. He has largely avoided controversy since he pleaded no contest in 2007 for driving while impaired and crashing a squad car.
Andrea Sahouri covers criminal justice for the Detroit Free Press. Contact her atasahouri@freepress.com or on X:@andreamsahouri.