Chief James Craig has been generally well received in Detroit, and Mayor Mike Duggan this morning rewarded Police Chief James Craig with a two year contract extension, keeping the Chief on until at least the middle of 2017. The announcement was made this morning at the Detroit Public Safety Headquarters.
Chief James Craig was appointed in 2013 by Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr, but today, Craig clearly signaled he plans to remain Detroit’s top cop for the remainder of his law enforcement career.
Prior to Chief Craig’s arrival, the Detroit Police Department had five police chiefs in five years.
“This represents the most exciting time in my now 38 years in policing,” said Chief Craig. “To return home and be faced with myriad challenges from restoring the community’s confidence in the police department to positively affecting the morale of the men and women who so proudly serve our city, has made this transition both exciting and rewarding. I am humbled by the confidence of the mayor, members from our community, and our police officers to be granted the opportunity to continue to serve at this pivotal time in Detroit’s history.”
Chief Craig’s current contract is set to expire on June 30, 2015. Pursuant to EM Order #42, Section 8, the Mayor has the authority to extend the Chief’s contract.
“In his first two years, Chief Craig has made remarkable progress bringing down crime and building the department’s partnership with the community. Detroit is a better city today because of him. I’m so grateful that he has made the choice to stay with us and make Detroit his home again for the long term,” Mayor Duggan said.
The contract, according to Duggan, was negotiated in about five minutes, the “shortest contract negotiation he’s ever had.”
Additionally, Mayor Duggan’s office says he has been working closely with Chief Craig, Prosecutor Kym Worthy, US Attorney Barb McQuade and other law enforcement partners on a strategy to address gun violence as well as a unified approach to crimefighting.
“Chief Craig has improved accountability, response times and community engagement by the Detroit Police Department,” said US Attorney Barbara McQuade. “I appreciate much time and effort he invests in trying to earn community trust. His continued leadership provides much-needed stability to DPD.”
Here are some of the key clauses in Craig’s contract.
- Term of the contract is July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2017
- There is no change in salary ($225,000) or benefits
- There is an automatic one year extension clause if neither the Mayor or the Chief gives 12 months’ notice of their intent to not renew the contract. This one-year extension process will continue annually.
- If the Mayor chooses to terminate the contract without cause, the city will pay the Chief for the balance of the term of the contract.
- And uniquely, if the Chief chooses to terminate the contract, he will pay the city the balance of his contract.
If you’re interested in reading the entirety of the contract, see here.
