Detroit Police Chief Warren Evans surprised many residents with his resignation on July 21, 2010; many didn’t know the truth behind the resignation of the Chief of Police: it was asked for by Detroit newly elected mayor Dave Bing.
According to reports, Bing asked for Evans’ resignation after compiling enough evidence as “a combination of issues”, leading up to his reason of stating Evans “compromised his position of leadership”. Reports also stated Bing made a comment of certain events happening that led to the decision to ask for Evans’ resignation.
A stir of talk arose, centering around a relationship between Evans and a subordinate; a relationship was acknowledged on facebook by both Evans, and Lt. Monique Russell-Patterson. After this information was released to the press, more focus on Patterson emerged, and soon a whistleblowing suit was filed against Patterson. The claim was brought forth after an officer alleged Patterson for abusing her authority due to her ‘dating’ Evans. Evans stated that he had not seen the lawsuit, but “denied allegations of impropriety…”, and at the time of publishing the report, Patterson wasn’t available for comments (AP).
Another compromise to Evans’ leadership was the airing of a six-minute clip used to promote a Reality TV show named “The Chief”. This was seen as Evans having aspirations of being a “TV star” by some. But, the irony in the release of the Reality TV show clip, and the time of Evans’ resignation is uncanny. One can almost wonder if Evans’ dream of being a Reality TV star hindered his aforementioned efforts to keep the city of Detroit’s crime rates at a bare minimum.
Viewers of the six-minute clip seen Evans looking like a character out of a John Wayne western movie; holding a rifle, smoking a cigar while using profanity, and talking about the crime in the streets of Detroit. Viewers were even entertained more with screenshots of dead people.
“The Chief” wasn’t the only Reality TV show Evans took part in. During a grief-filled time for the Detroit Police Department (having an officer shot and killed in the line of duty, and a 7-year old girl being shot by a Detroit Police Officer during a raid), Evans was on the bad end of being the ‘Man of the Hour’ as cameras caught the “raid gone bad” for “The First 48”, another Reality [cop] TV show.
Evans is the second Detroit Police Chief to be fired under the vise of Mayor Dave Bing; Chief James Barren, who had only served for a year was released soon after Bing was elected. Now, serving as Detroit Police Chief is 23-year old DPD officer Ralph L. Godbee Jr.
