If victimized by a crime from the hours of 4 pm to 8 am, residents of the Northeastern District of Detroit, starting today, should not go to their nearest police precinct—because it will be closed to them for crime reporting. The new hours will probably go citywide in a month.

 

With the city struggling to finance public safety, the head of the police department, Ralph Godbee, has decided to divert resources in order to get more cops on the streets. That means eliminating certain job positions, like report clerk, desk clerk, law enforcement information network operator, security officer, timekeeper, and vehicle and building maintenance officers.

 

Residents will be encouraged to use the telephone for non-emergency service (313-267-4600).

 

Some community leaders have reacted negatively towards the change.

 

“I have a great deal of admiration for Chief Ralph Godbee, and I don’t like publicly siding against him on anything, however, whoever proposed this to him should be fired because they’re obviously using some of the illegal substances that they take off of the street,” Minister Malik Shabazz told the Detroit Free Press.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Detroit Police Precincts to Close to Public 4 P.M.-8 A.M. (by Gina Damron, Detroit Free Press)

Detroit Police Chief: Cutting Desk Jobs will Help us Keep Streets Safer (by Gina Damron, Detroit Free Press)