Todd Bettison named interim chief of Detroit police as James White leaves department

Mayor Duggan chooses Deputy Mayor Bettison as interim chief of Detroit police as White leaves department

Before he was named deputy mayor, Bettison spent 27 years with the Detroit Police Department, where he was second in command under White. While in the deputy mayor role, he spearheaded the city's violence prevention program.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Detroit's Deputy Mayor Todd Bettison will lead the police department until a permanent chief is hired, Mayor Mike Duggan announced Friday.

Bettison will serve as the interim chief as James White leaves the department for a new role.

"I hate to lose him as deputy mayor, but this job is so critical," Duggan said at a press conference announcing his selection.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announces Todd Bettison (left) as the interim chief of DPD

As Bettison takes over DPD, a nationwide search has begun to replace White.

White announced his departure on Wednesday Oct. 16, during a community meeting in Southwest Detroit, taking a job more focused on mental health. The Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network (DWIHN) announced that it had selected White as its next President and CEO. The chief has always led with his background in mental health, while leading the department of 2,500.

In May 2021, when he was serving as interim chief, White said that mental illness is "a disease that victimizes our community," noting that police "cannot arrest our way through mental illness." Under his leadership, the department has expanded its critical incident team with the addition of 15 more officers to handle mental health calls to 911 with a trained mental health professional.

Todd Bettison named interim chief of Detroit police

Detroit's Deputy Mayor Todd Bettison will lead the police department until a permanent chief is hired, Mayor Mike Duggan announced Friday. Bettison will serve as the interim chief as James White leaves the department for a new role.

Duggan said White leaves big shoes to fill, but they’re ready to transition quickly.

"I will name an interim chief by the end of next week and then the board of police commissioners by charter will do a national search to recommend candidates for a permanent chief," he said.

White was named Detroit Police Chief in August 2021 after then-chief James Craig left the department. During his tenure, he has repeatedly discussed the mental health crises his officers come across daily.