Wayne County Sheriff Warren Evans, who was named Detroit police chief today by Mayor Dave Bing, vows to run an open, transparent and responsive department. As a result, Evans told the Detroit Free Press, Detroiters can expect to see crime stats rise, at least in the short-term. “Crime itself is not going to up, but crime is going to be reported better — so, yes, crime stats will go up,” he said.
“I’m not blaming anyone — there’s obviously a shortage of officers — but when you talk to people in the community, it’s clear that crimes are not being reported. The only way to solve a problem is to know what you’re dealing with. There’s nothing more debilitating to people than to have their houses broken into and then not to have a proper response from the police. You feel doubly violated.” Evans, 60, takes over after the dismissal of the former chief, 57-year-old James Barren.