Detroit is in a political and public safety transfix, which has severely impacted the motion of the local government machine in delivering better and more effective city services for the more than 700,000 people who reside in this iconic city.

Public safety has been the dominant issue for most residents and businesses. And it is ridiculous that this city in the last four years has had four police chiefs, two of whom left in embarrassment after it was discovered they were having affairs with their subordinates, which became a distraction for the functioning of the number one security apparatus in the city, the Detroit Police Department.

In the next week or so, a new chief will be named to lead the men and women in blue at 1300 Beaubien. His name, widely reported, is James Craig, the current chief of police in Cincinnati.

Craig, himself a former Detroit police officer, if he accepts an offer will become the fifth police chief in Detroit in less than five years, unheard of anywhere. One would expect to have stable leadership at the most sensitive department of local government.

Chief Craig, who hails from the city, is anxious to come back and waiting for an offer. He told the Cincinnati media that Detroit is home for him. That means an offer would mean a homecoming appointment, one that would be hard to beat.

“What I did say is Detroit is home. James Craig is not running from Cincinnati because of a test he decided not to take. (Others) are saying I’m an opportunist. That’s not true,” Craig said. “Yes, it is an opportunity, but what is a major draw is it’s ... home. Hard to compete with that.”

Apparently Craig is viewed as the best candidate to lead the troubled police department, which has been dealing with morale issues along with dwindling resources to fight the mountainous crime issues plaguing the city.

It is refreshing to see someone like Craig optimistic about accepting a crucial position in Detroit. It will also be equally challenging to see how under his leadership this city can make evidence-based reforms and arrest crime.

When I heard that another chief of police was being sought, my natural reaction was, “Again! Let’s see how long this new top cop will last,” because it is damaging for a department that is struggling with morale and cuts to its resources to have another chief who might possibly only last for no more than a year.

I’m not suggesting that Craig, if appointed, will last only a year, but it is logical that a new mayor will bring in a new chief. However, if Craig does an outstanding job that lifts the department from the current tide and tackles public safety in an effective fashion, he could stay on board with a new administration to ensure a smooth transition.

Detroit’s current police chief, Chester Logan, announced he would be retiring.

Confidence in leadership at the top of the police department is important for the success of any crime fighting strategy.

Community policing should be at the top of the agenda of the new police boss because fighting crime should not be left to police officers alone. Repeatedly we’ve seen how the collaboration between law enforcement and the community not only builds trust but also enhances the work of the police in rooting out crime syndicates and averting possible crime that would have warranted massive resources to tackle.

But the Detroit Police Department is unique in that it sits at the heart of a local government that is going through transformation because of financial distress. The delicate balance for the department’s leader is to be innovative and steadfast in fighting crime and at the same time responding to the financial challenges of the city.

With only 3,000 officers, some have argued that it is hard to fight crime in a city of 700,000. But with new police cars and ambulance trucks donated recently by Detroit business leaders at the urging of Mayor Dave Bing, DPD should be equipped to more effectively respond to criminal activity.

The experience some have with DPD is that often there is a no-show when emergency calls are made to the police, because meager resources prevent them from responding to many of the calls.

Bankole Thompson is editor of the Michigan Chronicle and the author of the forthcoming book “Rising From the Ashes: Engaging Detroit’s Future With Courage.” His book “Obama and Black Loyalty,” published in 2010, follows his recent book, “Obama and Christian Loyalty” with an epilogue by Bob Weiner, former White House spokesman. Thompson is a political news analyst at WDET-101.9FM (NPR affiliate) and a member of the weekly “Obama Watch” Sunday evening roundtable on WLIB-1190AM New York and simulcast in New Jersey and Connecticut. E-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit his personal page at www.bankolethompson.com.

Self-described neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman‘s (picture) legal team filed a motion to have the processes of the voice recognition experts challenged in regards to the 911 call, according to the Orlando Sentinel. During the 911 call, a voice is heard repeatedly calling for help, but is then dramatically silenced with a gunshot. To date, both Zimmerman and slain teen Trayvon Martin‘s family have attempted to claim the screams, which is sure to give either side an upperhand during the trial. On Friday, Zimmerman’s defense attorney Mark O’Mara reportedly asked the judge overseeing the case to specifically review the “scientific validity” of the voice recognition experts. Why? Because O’Mara and his team believe that the experts are using “phony science” in their conclusions. Zimmerman’s motion was publicly released on Monday.

A few months after Trayvon was killed, the associated 911 call was released. From the beginning, Zimmerman has maintained that the screams heard in the phone call belong to him. But Martin’s family insists that the screams belong to their murdered son, although Trayvon’s father, Tracy, initially said that the screams weren’t Trayvon’s. By April of last year, experts reviewed the phone call and determined that the screams DO NOT belong to Zimmerman. In fact, Tom Owen, of Owen Forensic Services LLC and chair emeritus for the American Board of Recorded Evidence, went on record with MSNBC, saying, “The tests concluded that it’s not the voice of Mr. Zimmerman.”

NewsOne spoke with Managing Attorney of Guster Law Firm Eric L. Welch Guster about Zimmerman’s motion and asked him what strategy it appears that Zimmerman is using in advance of his second-degree murder case. Guster said:
“The defense wants to show that the expert is wrong, therefore allowing the defense to say or assert what they need in order to prove their case. In order to show that the expert is wrong, they have to attack the method that the expert used in order to come to their conclusion. If they can prove that the expert was incorrect in using certain technology and methods to come to the conclusion, they can argue that the conclusion is wrong. “The defense team is trying to eliminate Zimmerman’s culpability in this case. Due to the prosecution’s burden of proof, they want to make it harder for them to prove it was Trayvon screaming for help before the gunshots. If they are successful, they may be able to claim it was Zimmerman screaming for help before the gunshots, thus helping their theory of self defense.” To Guster, expert testimony will be key in Zimmerman’s case, “Expert testimony will be very important in this trial. If it is determined that Trayvon was screaming for help before he was shot, it would make the defense’s case much more difficult and the self-defense claim harder to prove.”

As NewsOne reported earlier, four witnesses in Zimmerman’s defense have changed their accounts, with Witness 12 radically challenging Zimmerman’s claim that he was on top:
With Witness 12, who reportedly lives in the same neighborhood as the fatal incident, she said she witnessed two people on the ground but wasn’t sure if Trayvon or Zimmerman was on top, ‘I don’t know which one. … All I saw when they were on the ground was dark colors,’ she said.
In her subsequent interview, though, she identified Zimmerman as the aggressor, after being able to observe both of their sizes, ‘I know after seeing the TV of what’s happening, comparing their sizes, I think Zimmerman was definitely on top because of his size.’

Even though Zimmerman’s trial isn’t scheduled to begin until June 10th, Zimmerman has constantly been in the news, attempting to sway the public to his side. But Zimmerman’s apparent desperation is only working to further paint him into a murderer of a defenseless young Black teen. For if he is truly innocent, as he claims, won’t the evidence clearly illustrate that rather than his website, interviews, and motions?
But with changing witness testimony and damaging expert assertions, I guess Zimmerman can’t afford to let the actual evidence tell the story of exactly what happened on February 26, 2012.
Let’s hope — in spite of Zimmerman’s dubious efforts — that truth prevails.
 

The Democratic National Committee has said that NBA veteran Jason Collins will headline its annual lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender gala on May 29. Jason recently came out and was the first male of the four major U.S. professional sports leagues to do so. As a game-changer, Collins caught the attention many beyond basketball and his ties with the LGBT community will definitely grow.

Michelle Obama will also be hosting the LGBT gala alongside Collins. The DNC’s LGBT Leadership Council aims to highlight the contributions of LGBT people in politics. Last year, the group had a call to action to legalize same-sex marriage. I think Jason’s going to do big things for the LGBT community. I love this unconventional look at homosexuality.

In 2013, the topic is still a taboo one, but at least there’s men like Jason who change the face of homosexuality. While I enjoy drag queens and many gay men who adopt very hyper-feminine quirks (hip-switching, weave-patting, “yassssss girl”-ing), it delights me to know there’s a whole other culture of gay men who don’t fall into the stereotypes.

Perhaps Jason’s strength to come out in a community where being openly gay isn’t the norm, will inspire others to live their true lives. Kudos to Michelle Obama for giving Jason an even bigger platform!

As a member of the Black Panther Party and the Black Liberation Army, Assata Shakur, formerly Joanne Deborah Chesimard is the definition of falsely accused. The history-making activist’s life may have continued in Cuba since her heroic escape from prison, but it seems that Shakur is still a prisoner. The FBI has decided to place 65-year-old Assata on their Most Wanted Terrorists List! And get this–they’re “honored” to do so–specifically FBI Special Agent in Charge in Newark, NJ. (Is that a real title? I digress…)

In 1973, while driving on the NJ Turnpike, police pulled Assata, Zayd Shakur and Sundiata Acoli over for a faulty taillight. Shortly after being pulled over, a shootout claimed the lives of Zayd Shakur and officer Werner Foerster. At the time of the shooting, Assata did what she was told and held her hands high, but was still shot multiple times. And even though the other officer claimed to have shot Zayd and there’s no physical way possible that Assata could have shot anyone, she was still convicted and placed in jail while the powers that be attempted to pin six other crimes on her.

Shakur wrote:
“I am a 20th century escaped slave. Because of government persecution, I was left with no other choice than to flee from the political repression, racism and violence that dominate the U.S. government’s policy towards people of color. I was convicted by—I don’t even want to call it a trial, it was lynching, by an all-white jury. I had nothing but contempt for the system of justice under which I was tried.”
And flee she did. In 1979, Assata escaped from prison and made her way to Cuba, where she’s received political asylum and has been living ever since.

However, Assata hasn’t been living peacefully. Now, over 30 years later, Assata’s infamous name continues to be slung through the mud. The FBI has placed Assata on their list of Most Wanted Terrorists. You’ve got to be kidding me! 65-year-old Assata Shakur–a woman who was charged for a crime she never committed is now a terrorist 30 plus years after she was charged for her alleged crimes. That makes all the sense in the world.

The reward for Assata’s capture has now doubled to $2 million. “We want her to come back here and face justice and serve out her sentence,” New Jersey Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa said. That’s not all they want. They want the small amount of freedom Assata has left. New Jersey State Police Colonel Rick Fuentes is claiming that Assata is “flaunting her freedom.”

NewsOne’s Kirsten West-Savali may have said it best, regarding Assata making the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists List:
“It speaks to the hypocrisy of the United States that there are police officers who have not only killed unarmed, innocent people, but are roaming free and lauded for their bravery. Based on the criteria, there are certain police departments who should be characterized as domestic terror cells. But instead, the FBI is going after a 65-year-old revolutionary who isn’t even guilty and — by international law — has the right to seek political asylum.

It is amazing — and pathetic — how swiftly the FBI felt compelled to frame the domestic terrorism conversation around a Black revolutionary living in Cuba, instead of two White men from Boston. Timing is everything — and the timing of this travesty of justice speaks volumes.

Join us on this Hands Off Assata Shakur movement!

Detroit Public Schools Emergency Manager Roy Roberts revealed during his retirement press conference that William Aldridge, a longstanding CPA who is currently the chief financial officer of the public school system, will be elevated to the position of chief administrative officer.

That means more responsibility for Aldridge whose portfolio will now include oversight of the district’s procurement & logistics and information technology departments.

“Detroit Public Schools has made great strides toward eliminating its deficit and balancing its budget under Bill’s financial leadership these last two years,” Roberts said. “However, in order for this forward momentum to be sustainable, the district must establish strong systems and processes and a sound operational model. Bill’s 40 years of experience in public accounting, consulting and school district management make him the absolute right person for this position.”

According to DPS, the first major systems project that Aldridge is overseeing in his new role as chief financial and administrative officer is the procurement and implementation of the district’s new human resources and finance computer system, which will provide the district with exponentially greater efficiency and effectiveness in these critical areas.

“I am confident that Bill’s extensive institutional knowledge of Detroit Public Schools, as well as his four decades of experience, will provide the District with the continuity that is critical to the turnaround of our school system and its return to local control in a timely manner,” said Roberts. A look at his biography shows that Aldridge began his professional career at the international public accounting firm of Arthur Andersen & Company in 1970. He then co-founded Barrow, Aldridge & Co., a firm providing auditing, tax, consulting and other services. Within five years, the firm became one of the largest minority CPA firms in the country. He remained at Barrow, Aldridge & Co. for 13 years before joining Detroit Public Schools as its divisional director of financial planning and budget and chief accounting officer.

Aldridge remained with DPS until 1992, when he was recruited by Cleveland Public Schools to become its first African-American chief financial officer, treasurer and secretary of the Cleveland Board of Education. In 1996, he returned to Detroit Public Schools to serve as chief financial officer and chief operating officer. In early 2000, he joined Pierce, Monroe & Associates, LLC as its principal.

Before joining the staff of DPS, Aldridge’s CPA firm, along with Coopers & Lybrand, became the first African-American firm to audit a major school district. Upon joining DPS as the divisional director of financial planning and budget and chief accounting officer in 1988, he was also responsible for assisting in the elimination of DPS’ accumulated deficit of $160 million.

DETROIT - Detroit police Officer Brian Huff, who was killed in the line of duty in 2010, was honored Friday with the retirement of his scout car, 5-14.

In an emotional early morning memorial service, which was attended by many of Detroit's finest and Huff's family, the car was officially retired at 3:50 a.m. Click Here For Complete Story

DETROIT, MI - Celebrity chef Michael Symon is looking to add a second restaurant in Detroit.

The mastermind of Roast in Detroit's Westin Book Cadillac Hotel is now planning to bring his B Spot burger concept to the Motor City. He runs six B Spot restaurants in Cleveland, including one in Dan Gilbert's Quicken Loans arena where the Cleveland Cavaliers play. Click Here For Complete Story

Al Jazeera TV?. Bet that conjures up some images in your mind. You’d be right if you think Iraq, but you’d be off on all other counts if any include, Al Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden or any other terrorist-related notions. But Al Jazeera, a Pan Arab broadcast company gone international, offers an intimate look and and first hand knowledge of troubled comunities world-wide.

"If you are in the middle east and you are in a war zone, what are you going to cover? Is there dialogue to cover? Not yet, I wish there were, but they are not that mature," explains Ehab Al Shihabi, the executive director for international operations for Al Jazeera America. His remarks are indicative of the type of hard-hitting candor viewers can expect from the station when it opens it Detroit bureau later this summer.

Al Jazeera television is infamous for shining a spotlight on the injustices and horrors. In fact the camera's don't shy away from showing viewers what’s really going on in that and other parts of the world.

Which may be why the broadcast company's operating license was suspended by Iraqi officials only days ago. Al Jazeera, however continues to expand its mission of “giving a voice to the voiceless,” and unveiled plans to open an Al Jazeera bureau in Detroit at the Detroit Athletic Club recently.

“Detroit is not as covered as it should be and it’s communities have been overlooked … most news agencies have abandoned areas like [this], save for those tragic stories. … But we want to talk about what is really happening in these areas that have been so hard hit … the suffering on the human side needs to be covered,” said Shihab

The television station is currently head quartered in New York.

“We don’t want to parachute people in from different places and then [extract] them. They need to live here,” said Shihab. "I came by bus and expected to see all the disaster, but I was quite surprised about how beautiful [the area] is," he confided.

Following an in-depth discussion outlining the details of Al Jazeera's commitment to Detroit, Shihab addressed audience questions about the type of programming viewers can expect from Al Jazeera TV. “It will be in depth, fact-based news for the American audience with documentaries, talk shows, and lifestyle programs."

Finally when asked about the news company’s image and the Americans audience's reaction to the name Al-Jazeera, Shihab replied “All they have to do is watch. We will go into 50 million households and those viewers will talk to others about what they see on Al-Jazeera.”

To shore up the point Ale Velshir, who recently left CNN to join Al Jazeera recounted a news story he covered in Detroit. “I remember being here in 2005 when we had big layoffs, 40,000 in one day. Someone said that’s enough to fill a sports stadium. But what that does not what articulate is it’s not just 40,000 in a stadium and. Its 40,00 workers, people and their families and the communities and towns that will be shuttered. … That’s why it’s important to be here, and not cover the news remotely."

DETROIT – Fred Durhal Jr. officially jumped into the Detroit Mayor’s race today when he filed petitions with 1000 signatures this afternoon at the Detroit City Clerk’s office.

“I am ready to share my plans to bring the great city of Detroit back to prominence,” said Durhal. “Detroit citizens have been ill-served for too long and they deserve a city that works for them and will work for their children. I am anxious to get into the neighborhoods to talk with families, and to visit Detroit businesses to listen to what the people have to say and to share my vision for Detroit’s future.”

Durhal is currently in his third term representing the 5th District in the state House of Representatives, which covers part of Detroit. He grew up in Detroit, the oldest of 12 children, and attended and graduated from Detroit Public Schools. As a public servant he has served in positions with the legislature, the Michigan Economic Development Corp, the city of Detroit, and the Virginia Park Citizens District Council. He announced in November 2012 that he would be a candidate for Mayor of Detroit.

(May 1, 2013) A 60-second commercial for PepsiCo's Mountain Dew brand was pulled by the company after a barrage of criticism including one commentator who labeled it "the most racist commercial in history." The trade publication Adweek broke the story on Wednesday which set off a media firestorm.

See the comercial below:

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(May 1, 2013) A 60-second commercial for PepsiCo's Mountain Dew brand was pulled by the company after a barrage of criticism including one commentator who labeled it "the most racist commercial in history." The trade publication Adweek broke the story on Wednesday which set off a media firestorm.

The spot was the third in an episodic series created for Mountain Dew by hip-hop impresario Tyler the Creator. The central character in each spot is Felicia the Goat, whose "bad boy persona is a male voice that says at the ends of each commercial, "You're never gonna catch me." In the second installment the goat assaults a waitress after she tells him they're out of Mountain Dew. In the second chapter, Felicia evades capture from the police.

The third spots depicts the goat in a police station line-up with five other black men, the blonde victim from the restaurant assault and officers edging her to identify her attacker. While it may look like a sketch from the Dave Chappelle show, the ever present bottle of Mountain Dew held by the detective signals that we're suppose view this as a comedic commercial. Plenty of viewers saw more than that.

Scenes from the third "Felicia the Goat" commercial

"This ad has to be one of the most irresponsible pieces of trash in the history of corporate advertising," wrote HuffingtonPost contributor Dr. Boyce Watkins, Finance Professor at Syracuse University. His comments appeared on his Web site, Your Black World Coalition. "This is arguably the most racist commercial in history."

The commercial has earned Pepsi unwanted notoriety as the latest company to suffer ill-conceived corporate messages that attempt to gain "street cred" and consumers' attention by hiring the creative skills of those outside of the advertising agency mainstream to produce ads.

Pepsi executives pulled the third installment and issued a two-sentence statement. "We apologize for this video and take full responsibility. We have removed it from all Mountain Dew channels, and Tyler is removing it from his channels, as well."

Another industry observer told USA Today Pepsi should offer more than an apology. "Given their poor record of marketing to African Americans, and the hundreds of millions blacks spend with the company, there needs to be an investigation and a plan that is made public on how this will be avoided in the future," says Ken Smikle, president of Target Market News, a research company that monitors developments in African-American marketing and media.

Christian Clancy, manager for Tyler the Creator issued statements saying the producer's work was misunderstood. "We apologize if this was taken out of context and would never trivialize racism, especially now in America where voting and civil rights are being challenged at the highest level. I can however stand firmly by someone I have believed in since we met, only because I know him and I know all of this was never his intent."

It's not known what actions PepsiCo will take to address the issues the commercial has raised, but one avenue will not be available to them. A multicultural advisory council the company established to hear the concerns and insights of