James Craig, Detroit's newly installed police chief, spoke privately with night shift officers Monday. What did he learn? That Detroit's rank-and-file pretty much hate every implemented by the previous police regime.
Detroit News: After a private meeting with the night shift, Craig told reporters officers have expressed their dislike of 12-hour shifts and virtual precincts that were part of budget cuts last year. Craig said DPD has been in talks with three consulting firms on possible overhauls, which could include revising those measures.
“(Police officers) say they think it’s a bad idea, this virtual precinct. ... This is the city of Detroit. I want to make sure when a community member wants to come into a police station, the doors are open.”
It takes three consulting firms to tell the city what its police officers already say and what everyone kind of knew from the beginning--"virtual precincts," that is to say precincts closed to the public, weren't going to help anyone serve and protect? Well, ok then.
There were 386 homicides in Detroit in 2012, the highest number in 20 years. To date in 2013, the city has recorded 146 homicides.
