DETROIT (WXYZ) - Detroit’s police chief James Barren has been fired by Mayor Dave Bing and another high-ranking officer says he will be leaving with him. The action is said to be effective Monday (July 6).
There is a 10am news conference scheduled and Action News will be there carrying it live on-air and online.
Word is, that is when Bing will announce the appointment of Wayne County Sheriff Warren Evans as the city's new top cop.
WATCH THE LATEST INFORMATION IN THE VIDEO PLAYER ON THE RIGHT
In a phone interview with Action News Sunday evening, Chief James Barren says he didn't see this coming.
"They basically told me they were letting me go and that they were replacing me with Warren Evans," Barren said.
Barren has 31 years experience.
Action News tried contacting Wayne County Sheriff Warren Evans to discuss his new appointment, but he didn't return our requests for an interview.
If Evans does indeed become Detroit's police chief, a three member panel will appoint his successor at the sheriff's office.
INFORMATION PREVIOUSLY POSTED BY WXYZ.COM
The other high-ranking officer said to be leaving the department with Barren is Assistant Chief Ronald Fleming. He said Barren called him late Friday with the news that the mayor was removing him effective Monday. “If you’re leaving, I’m leaving with you,” Fleming is said to have told Barren.
Official word was yet to be released by the mayor’s office at the end of the day after the reports first surfaced. The mayor has remained out of sight this holiday weekend.
Even while reliable sources were confirming the story to WXYZ’s Chief Investigative Reporter Steve Wilson and others, Bing’s spokeswoman Karen Dumas was downplaying if not denying the story.
Dumas denied the firing to The Detroit News while telling the Detroit Free Press the reports were “rumors.” She was quoted as saying, “The mayor has not received or accept (Barren’s) resignation.” What she did not say was whether the resignation had been requested by the mayor.
A police source told Action News he was shocked at the news and had not heard any possible reason for the action. Others speculated Tuesday’s brazen daylight shooting of seven Detroit teens at a bus stop may have some role in the firing.
Barren was appointed by former Mayor Kenneth Cockrel, Jr., who lost to Bing in the last election. Bing expressed his support for Barren many times during the campaign as well as after his election.
Cockrel, who regained his seat as City Council President when he was defeated by Bing, said he was not consulted or advised about the change and is disappointed to hear of it. I think he did nothing less than an outstanding job in his tenure,” said Cockrel.
As recently as this past week, Bing was said to be indicating privately that he supported Barren and gave no hint of any imminent change.
Police veteran and whistleblower Gary Brown says although he is surprised to hear the news, it is common for new mayors to select new police chiefs.
“I’m confident that Mayor Bing has come up with a strategy to reduce crime,” Brown told Channel 7's Steve Wilson.
“I’m not sure there was anybody within the department that could implement his new direction,” he said. Unconfirmed reports said Barren will be replaced by Wayne County Sheriff Warren Evans.
“If Evans is the one,” Brown said, “I think it’s good that even though he’s going outside the department, he’s not going too far or outside the state."
Brown spoke well of Chief Barren. “I don’t know that he did anything wrong. You have to credit him with raising morale within the department but the new mayor is looking for more. He needs to reduce crime and you can expect him to be insistent on results in that area.”
