New DPD leaders appointed, Detroit's mayor announces - Fox 2 News Headlines

By Charlie LeDuff
Fox 2 News Reporter

DETROIT (WJBK) -- "We're here today to announce a restructuring of top management in the Detroit Police Department along with other administrative and procedural changes," said Dave Bing.

The mayor announced a shakeup Thursday in the Detroit Police Department, including new leadership after the old guard was obliterated in a sex scandal.

"In order to improve department operations and administrations, I'm announcing the appointment of two assistant chiefs," Bing said.

Deputy Police Chief Paul Welles and retired Deputy Police Chief Janice Butler are both being promoted to assistant chief.  Is it the right move?  Welles in his former capacity was in charge of patrol, special operations and homicide investigation.

"Crime is steadily rising over the last few years, so how does the reshuffling get us any results?" I asked Interim Police Chief Chester Logan.

"One of the things that we're looking at, we're looking at every available body that's in let's say an administrative job.  Where can we gain some efficiencies at?  And these are some of the things that we're doing," he responded.

And something more, Assistant Chief Paul Welles is part of an internal affairs investigation as part of that Ralph Godbee girlfriend saga.  It was the officers under his direct command that pinged her cell phone without judicial oversight and followed her to Farmington Hills without giving that jurisdiction knowledge of their presence.

"Is anybody in your new command staff been questioned by internal affairs in the Angelica Robinson-Ralph Godbee saga that evening?" I asked Logan.

"Given the fact that this is an ongoing investigation, I'd rather not comment on that right now," he said.

Does he have any idea when that investigation might be finished?

"It's a short term investigation.  They're well underway.  We should have something relatively soon.  I can't give you a definitive date, but we're moving right alone with the investigation."

A couple of other details the mayor announced.  One, there will be a police academy class next year.  Two, he'll reinstitute the promotional exams for sergeants and lieutenants.  Three, he hasn't found the money yet to find the firm who will find the new chief of police.  As a consequence, sources in the police commission say until he finds the money and signs the contract, they're not going to approve any of this.  So in the end, today we're back where we started -- in turmoil.