Detroit Police Department#History

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Town constables were appointed in the territory for Detroit starting in 1801. During the American Civil War, the city's racial tensions escalated, and protests against the draft led to the Detroit race riot of 1863. The riots resulted in two deaths, the destruction of 35 buildings, and over 200 Black residents left homeless. Although a formal Police Commission had been established in 1861, the city responded to the violence by officially creating a full-time police force, with the first forty policemen beginning work in 1865. However, the department remained predominantly white well into the late 20th century.{{cite web|url=https://detroithistorical.org/learn/encyclopedia-of-detroit/detroit-police-department|title=Detroit Police Department|website=Encyclopedia of Detroit|access-date=13 January 2018}}{{cite news|url=http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2015/02/26/detroit-police-anniversary/24094399/|title=Detroit Police Department marks its 150th anniversary|last1=Hunter|first1=George|date=26 February 2015|access-date=13 January 2018|publisher=Detroit Free Press}}

In 1893, the department hired its first policewoman (Marie Owen) and its first black policeman (L. T. Toliver). The Detroit Police Department established a Women's Division in 1921 that was tasked with cases of "child abuse, sexual assaults, juvenile delinquency, and checking establishments for illegal minors."[https://web.archive.org/web/20150613013038/http://beta.worldcat.org/archivegrid/collection/data/884359788 ArchiveGrid: Detroit Police Department Women's Division Collection, 1919-1973, 2010.] Internet Archive: Wayback Machine Female officers were not allowed to work on criminal cases unless accompanied by male officers until 1973, after a series of discrimination lawsuits prompted changes in department policy.[https://web.archive.org/web/20150613011434/http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2010/11/former_police_womens_division.html Former Detroit Police Women's Division honored by City Council] Internet Archive: Wayback Machine

In 1921, the Detroit Police Department became the first police department in the country to utilize radio dispatch in their patrol cars.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20131206050520/http://www.michmarkers.com/startup.asp?startpage=S0529a.htm Police Dispatch Radio]}} Mich Markers A historical marker at Belle Isle Park describes the new advancement in technology.

In February 1940, Mayor Richard Reading, the Superintendent of Police, the county sheriff and over a hundred more were indicted on corruption charges. The Mayor was accused of selling promotions in the department. Eighty officers were accused of protecting illegal gambling operations in the city. In the end, the Mayor served three years in jail, ending in 1947.{{cite news|url=https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/2014/08/29/5-worst-mayors-in-detroit-history/14799541/|title=Meet the 5 worst mayors in Detroit history|last1=Austin|first1=Dan|date=29 August 2014|access-date=13 January 2018|publisher=Detroit Free Press}}

In 1957, the Detroit Police Department employed 5,000 policemen and operated a fleet of ambulances to respond to medical emergencies.{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg1r1c2Qun8&ab_channel=DetroitHistoricalSociety | title=Detroit: Today and Tomorrow - Fire and Police Departments, and Kowalski Sausage (1957) | website=YouTube | date=July 8, 2016 }}

In 2000, the Detroit Free Press published a series of articles after a four-month investigation into fatal shootings by Detroit police officers.{{Cite web|url=http://fr.kroll.com/DPD_Q1_Report_1_20_04.pdf|title=Report of the Independent Monitor for the Detroit Police Department}} At the time, Detroit had the highest rate of police-involved shootings of any large city in the United States, surpassing New York, Los Angeles, and Houston. The city requested an investigation by the United States Department of Justice into the department's handling of deadly force incidents. By 2001, the Justice Department's investigation had uncovered issues with the department's arrest and detention practices as well. Between 2003 and 2014, the Detroit Police Department was placed under federal court oversight by the Justice Department as the result of allegations about excessive force, illegal arrests and improper detention.{{Cite news|url=http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20160401/NEWS/160409995/court-oversight-of-detroit-police-department-cost-city-50-million|title=Court oversight of Detroit Police Department cost city $50 million, chief says|date=2016-04-01|work=Crain's Detroit Business|access-date=2018-03-19}} This process cost the city of Detroit more than $50 million. By 2014, the department's use of force had been "seriously reduced" and the U.S. District Judge overseeing the case stated that the Detroit Police Department had "met its obligations" for reforms.{{Cite news|url=https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2016/03/31/detroit-police-finally-rid-federal-oversight/82491776/|title=Detroit police finally rid of federal oversight|work=Detroit Free Press|access-date=2018-03-19|language=en}}

In 2005, the department's thirteen precincts were consolidated into six larger districts as a cost-cutting measure.{{Cite news|url=http://www.hourdetroit.com/Hour-Detroit/July-2011/Copping-Out/|title=Explaining the Detroit Police's Return to Precincts|access-date=2018-03-19|language=en}} The department restored a number of precincts in 2009 after citizens complained about the change. In 2011, it was announced that the Detroit Police Department would be reverting to the original precinct structure, with officials citing "gap[s] in services" and concerns over the new command structure.

On January 23, 2011, 38-year-old Lamar Moore walked into the 6th precinct with a pistol shotgun and shot and wounded 4 officers before being killed.{{cite web | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/detroit-precinct-shooting-update-gunman-lamar-moore-was-suspect-in-sexual-assault/ | title=Detroit Precinct Shooting Update: Gunman Lamar Moore Was Suspect in Sexual Assault | website=CBS News | date=January 25, 2011 }}

On November 9, 2017, undercover police posing as drug dealers tried to arrest a group of undercover police posing as drug buyers, which led to a multi-person fight and several injuries. Police Chief James Craig told the Detroit Free Press that the brawl was "probably one of the most embarrassing things I've seen in this department."{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Elisha |title=Detroit police chief embarrassed after cops from neighboring precincts trade punches |url=https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2017/11/13/detroit-police-officers-fight-each-other/858827001/ |access-date=2023-02-09 |website=Detroit Free Press |language=en-US}}

On June 11, 2010 it was reported that the City of Detroit would acquire the former MGM Grand Detroit temporary casino building (originally the IRS Data Center) on John C. Lodge Freeway for $6.23 million[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCllL8wIog4 New Detroit Police Headquarters] (WXYZ-TV YouTube page) and convert it into a new police headquarters complex which would also house a crime lab operated by the Michigan State Police.[http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2010/07/michigan_state_police_would_ru.html Michigan State Police to run Crime Lab in new DPD HQ] Associated Press via MLive July 6, 2010 The renovated building also houses the Detroit Fire Department headquarters.{{Citation needed|date=March 2018}} The former casino building has {{convert|400000|sqft|sqm}} of space.{{Citation needed|date=March 2018}} The historic Detroit Police headquarters is in Greektown.{{Citation needed|date=March 2018}} On June 28, 2013, the new public safety headquarters opened for business.{{Citation needed|date=March 2018}}

File:Detroit police - Ford Police Interceptor Utility (2).jpg

File:Detroit police - Ford Police Interceptor Utility (1).jpg

The 2022 budget for the department was $341 million, constituting 28.7% of the city's general fund.{{cite web |last1=Dwyer |first1=Dustin |last2=Khan |first2=Nisa |title=A year after "defund" protests, most large Michigan cities spending more on police, not less |url=https://www.michiganradio.org/investigative/2021-06-22/a-year-after-defund-protests-most-large-michigan-cities-spending-more-on-police-not-less |website=Michigan Radio |publisher=NPR |access-date=11 January 2023 |language=en |date=22 June 2021}}

As the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus continues to spread around the United States, several Detroit Police officers tested positive for being infected with the COVID-19 virus, and over 200 more were quarantined to prevent further spread of the virus in the Detroit metro area. Several infected people in the Detroit metro area had already succumbed to the virus and died after it was first discovered in the counties Detroit and its suburbs were located in. The Detroit Police suffered its first casualty to the virus with the death of a 38-year-old civilian dispatcher.

Since 1878, the Detroit Police Department has lost 249 officers in the line of duty.{{Cite web |title=Detroit Police Department |url=http://www.odmp.org/agency/1000-detroit-police-department-michigan |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=ODMP}}

2013 breakdown of gender and ethnic minorities employed by the DPD:{{cite web |url=https://www.governing.com/gov-data/safety-justice/police-department-officer-demographics-minority-representation.html |title=Police Department Race and Ethnicity Demographic Data |website=www.governing.com |date= August 27, 2015|access-date=May 4, 2019}}{{efn|Does not equal 100 percent due to rounding.}}

• Male: 75%
• Female: 25%
• African-American or black: 63%
• White: 33%
• Hispanic, any race: 4%
• Asian: 0.4%

The Detroit Police Department has one of the largest percentages of Black officers of any major city police department, reflecting current overall city demographics. Lawsuits alleging discrimination stemming from the influence of affirmative action and allegations of race-based promotional bias for executive positions have surfaced repeatedly.[http://openjurist.org/824/f2d/512/detroit-police-officers-association-v-a-young-morgan Detroit Police Officers Association v. A Young Morgan] Retrieved November 22, 2012.{{cite web |url=https://bulk.resource.org/courts.gov/c/F2/989/989.F2d.225.91-1806.html |title=989 F.2d 225 |access-date=2012-11-22 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518014504/https://bulk.resource.org/courts.gov/c/F2/989/989.F2d.225.91-1806.html |archive-date=May 18, 2013 |df=mdy-all }} Retrieved November 22, 2012.[http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2005/10/25/Detroit-accused-of-bias-against-white-cops/UPI-91431130256677/#axzz2Cy1iaUke Detroit accused of bias against white cops] Retrieved November 22, 2012. As of 2008, the majority of upper command members in the Detroit PD were Black.[http://www.detroitmi.gov/Portals/0/docs/police/NewDPDChart2008.pdf 2008 Detroit Police Department Organizational Chart] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130520193442/http://www.detroitmi.gov/Portals/0/docs/police/NewDPDChart2008.pdf |date=May 20, 2013 }} Retrieved November 22, 2012.

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The table below lists people killed by and controversies involved with the Detroit Police Department.

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• Detroit Public Safety Headquarters
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• List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States prior to 2009

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• {{Official website|http://www.detroitmi.gov/Police}}
• {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080321164645/http://www.detroitmi.gov/Departments/PoliceDepartment/tabid/141/Default.aspx |date=March 21, 2008 |title=Detroit Police Department }}
• {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990422161502/http://www.ci.detroit.mi.us/police/default.htm |date=April 22, 1999 |title=Detroit Police Department }}

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Category:Government agencies established in 1865

Category:Government of Detroit

Category:Municipal police departments of Michigan

Category:1865 establishments in Michigan