Central City Alliance

Chief of Police Jerry A. Oliver, Sr.

Sep 27, 2002

As the anniversary of ?“911?” approaches, the Detroit Police Department is prepared both reactively and proactively to deal with problems that may occur. Some of the questions from our local businesses have been:
1. What can we do to assist the City of
Detroit?
2. What are the different ?“signs?” or ?“symbols?” of terrorism?
3. Who will inform us of an actual terrorist attack?

To answer the first question, the City of Detroit has a system of operations entitled, the Incident Command System (ICS). Within the ICS, a large-scale event...positive or otherwise, is divided into controllable sectors. For example, if an incident happened in which the water department was under duress, the Detroit Police Department would provide the security and safety issues regarding that particular scenario. The most important thing to be done by the business community is to inform your employees to be observant of their surroundings and to report any ?“unusual?” activity to your local precinct.

In response to ?“sign?” and ?“symbols?” of terrorism, there are no concrete signs of terrorism. If you receive packages with no return address or persons asking odd or abnormal questions about your business contact your precinct.

The local and national news stations are one of the best sources of information to detect or to inform us of an actual terrorist attack. Sirens will sound in the City of Detroit if an attack happens. Make sure that your business has a portable radio with FM-AM capabilities. Radio stations have the ability to give information quicker than any other media outlet available. Just like smoke detectors, always make sure you change the batteries in the radio every six (6) months.

The relationship currently forged by the Precinct Commanders mean the most when critical incidents occur. To that end, the command staff of the 7th Precinct is Commander Pierre Fortier and Inspector Lewis Smith. The 7th Precinct is located at 3300 Mack Avenue near Gratiot. The phone number is (313) 596-5710.

Commander Julius Higdon and Inspector Donald Chalmers are in charge of the Detroit Police Department?’s 13th Precinct. The 13th Precinct is located at 4747 Woodward at Hancock Street. The phone number is (313) 596-1310.

The 13th Precinct, has been innovative in establishing meetings within the geographic communities and communities of interest to allow a great amount of interaction between the police, the community and the businesses. The following meetings are held monthly within the 13th Precinct:

?·Midtown Business Association Meeting - business owners and residents in the southern part of the precinct.

?·Virginia Park Community Investment Associates Safety and Security Meeting - business owners and residents in the Rosa Parks and Clairmount area.

?·New Center Security Chiefs Meeting - attended by security directors of the many businesses in the New Center and Henry Ford Hospital area.

?·Cultural Center Security Directors Meeting - attended by security directors at the African American Museum, Medical Center, Detroit Public Library and Detroit Institutes of Arts.

?·Community Relations Meeting - is held each month by the 13th Precinct, for all residents and businesses. Everyone is encouraged to attend these meetings, so that the Detroit Police department can address any underlying problems of which they are unaware.

The 13th Precinct, is also currently undertaking an initiative with the Wayne County Sheriff?’s Office and the community to eradicate prostitution by providing a temporary holding facility for people arrested.

As always, I am available to you!! To schedule a meeting with me, contact my Director in charge of Corporate Communications, 3rd Deputy Chief Tara Dunlop, at (313) 596-2200. Remember the holiday season will be here before you know it. Always put safety first!