New Administration to Keep Todd Bettison as Detroit Police Chief

December 16, 2025

Detroit's incoming Mayor Mary Sheffield has announced that Todd Bettison will remain as the city's police chief, continuing in the role he assumed earlier in the year. Sheffield praised Bettison's nearly three-decade career with the Detroit Police Department and credited his community-focused approach for contributing to significant reductions in violent crime, including historic lows in homicides and a 50% decrease in nonfatal shootings between 2022 and 2024. Both leaders have committed to establishing a new Office of Gun Violence Prevention that will partner with community organizations to involve residents in shaping safety policies.

Who is affected

Detroit residents and neighborhoods
Todd Bettison (reappointed as police chief)
Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield
Detroit Police Department members (rank and file)
Community violence intervention (CVI) groups in Detroit
Grassroots partners working on public safety
Former police chief James White (who resigned to lead DWIHN, the county mental health authority)

What action is being taken

Chief Todd Bettison is being reappointed to continue serving as Detroit chief of police
Bettison is advocating for state funding of community violence intervention at the state capitol in Lansing
The Detroit Police Department is working to push violent crime down to historic levels
Community violence intervention groups are serving as case workers in communities dealing with violent crime

Why it matters

This matters because Detroit has experienced significant improvements in public safety, with homicides reaching their lowest levels in decades, nonfatal shootings cut in half between 2022 and 2024, and carjackings down 71% since 2015. The reappointment provides continuity in leadership during a period of historic crime reduction and signals continued commitment to community-based policing approaches. Bettison's retention is particularly significant because he reportedly has the rare combination of peer respect, officer loyalty, and community trust, while maintaining deep ties to Detroit neighborhoods through his 27-year career with the department.

What's next

Sheffield and Bettison plan to create a new Office of Gun Violence Prevention that will work with grassroots partners to ensure resident engagement in shaping public safety policy
More details about the Office of Gun Violence Prevention will be released in the new year
Bettison aims to close out 2025 with even more historic low violent crime levels

Read full article from source: Michigan Chronicle