Former Detroit Police Chief Discusses Life After Scandal
WARREN (WWJ) - He was forced to resign after a scandal that rocked the Detroit Police Department. Former Police Chief Ralph Godbee had an affair with a subordinate officer, who went public when the relationship turned bad. Now, Godbee is talking one-on-one with WWJ two years after the scandal.
"It's been a journey. I lost a lot. I disappointed a lot of people. I disappointed myself," says Godbee.
He tells WWJ Newsradio 950's Stephanie Davis that he certainly has regrets.
"I regret trashing a 22-year marriage. I regret the fact that given the opportunity to get married again, that relationship didn't work out. I regret that my daughter had to see her father exposed in a very public and ugly way," says Godbee.
Godbee, who is now a church pastor at Inner Court Christian Center in Warren, appeared contrite in saying he holds himself accountable and he has accepted his past bad decisions. Godbee says now he has a much more compelling sermon to preach.
"I may not tell you how to stay married, but I can certainly tell you what'll get your marriage destroyed. I may not be able to tell you how to stay chief of police, but I can tell you certainly how not to bring shame onto your office," he says.
As a church leader, Godbee is following in the footsteps of his dad and brother.
"For a while I had become a police officer who happened to be a preacher, but really my life's calling is I'm a preacher that happened to be a police officer," he says.
Godbee says he's healed, free, delivered and on a different path these days.
"I feel very comfortable that my personal and private life is aligned with what I espouse publicly," he says.
Godbee takes full responsibility for hurting people he loved and he holds himself accountable for his own fall.
"But it's an opportunity to possibly help somebody that, you know, may be going through their own personal fall. And to let them know that you can get back up again, but you have to make some tough choices," he says.
Meantime, Godbee says he would take another job as police chief and may even run for political office one day. And he still loves the city, but does not support the EM law that brought in Kevyn Orr.
"I don't agree with how it's averted the rights of lawfully, dutifully elected officials in the city of Detroit. But, the bottom line is: it is the law," says Godbee.
