Detroit Mayor Announces 2-Year Contract Extension For Police Chief James Craig
DETROIT (WWJ) - Detroit's top cop has no plans to leave town anytime soon.
Police Chief James Craig accepted a 2-year contract extension to continue leading the city's police department until at least 2017, Mayor Mike Duggan announced Thursday morning.
"This represents the most exciting time in my now 38 years in policing," Craig said in a statement. "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."
Craig, who currently earns $225,000 a year, was appointed by then-Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr in July 2013 and stayed on board when the mayor and council regained control of city government.
"In his first two years, Chief Craig has made remarkable progress bringing down crime and building the department's partnership with the community," Duggan said in a statement. "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."
Although the contract is only for a few years, Craig made it clear he plans to stay Detroit's top cop for the remainder of his law enforcement career.
Key provisions of the Chief's contract extension include:
• Term of the contract is July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2017
• No change in salary or benefits
• Automatic one year extensions if neither party gives 12 months' notice of their intent to not renew the contract. If neither the Mayor nor the Chief indicate by June 30, 2016 that they wish to let the contract lapse, it automatically will be extended through June 30, 2018. 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.
• If the Chief chooses to terminate the contract, he will pay the city the balance of his contract.
Craig is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and holds master's degree in management and public administration. He got his start in police work in Detroit in 1977. After being laid off, he was hired by LAPD, where he worked his way up the ranks to captain before retiring in 2009. He then became the chief in Portland, Maine, before accepting the same position in Cincinnati in 2011.
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