DETROIT -- The Detroit City Council has officially approved Mayor Mike Duggan’s appointment of Todd Bettison as the city’s new police chief, removing his interim title, the Detroit Free Press reported.
Bettison, who previously served as deputy mayor, took over as interim chief in October after former Chief James White left to lead the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network, according to the report. Earlier in February, Duggan recommended Bettison for the permanent role, and the council unanimously confirmed his appointment on Tuesday.
“Detroit has become a national leader in reducing violent crime and Todd has been a big part of that, between his record of accomplishment during his career at DPD, his leadership developing our community violence intervention work, as well as the deep trust and respect he has within DPD and in the community,” said Duggan. “I am confident that as permanent Chief, Todd will continue and build on this trend.”
“I cannot think of a better person to carry on the work of DPD than yourself,” City Council President Mary Sheffield told Bettison.
Since becoming interim chief, Bettison and his team developed and implemented successful safety plans for major events, including the Thanksgiving Day Parade, the annual Christmas tree lighting and the Lions’ final home game and playoff game, both of which brought large crowds downtown, the City of Detroit said in a statement.
Bettison joined the Detroit Police Department in 1994 as a patrol officer and was promoted to sergeant within five years. Just a year later, he advanced to lieutenant, earning the highest score among all candidates in the department with each promotion, the City of Detroit said. His rapid ascent continued as he moved through the ranks of inspector, captain, commander, deputy chief and assistant chief before being named 1st assistant chief in 2021 by Chief James White.
During the council meeting, Bettison addressed concerns about accidents involving police and emergency responder vehicles, which have led to costly lawsuits against the city, according to the report. He announced plans for a pilot program using technology that would alert drivers 30 seconds before an emergency vehicle arrives. The system, which would integrate with apps like Waze and radio signals, aims to enhance safety by notifying motorists when first responders are approaching or parked on the roadside.
“It will interrupt your radio to let you know that a first responder vehicle is approaching in an emergency capacity. It’ll be a safety enhancement for the community, for the first responders themselves; reduce accidents, and it’s going to reduce costs,” Bettison said.
