DETROIT – Dawn Ison, a Detroit native, is Southeast Michigan’s first Black female U.S. Attorney.
“I graduated from Cass Technical High School. I’m a daughter of a single mother who worked at the post office and struggled to take care of her children. I’m the daughter of a father who was murdered on the streets of Detroit. I’m also the wife of a police, retired police officer,” Ison said.
Ison has decades of experience as both a prosecuting and defense attorney. She has been a public servant her entire career.
“I just hope to get out there and rebuild community trust between law enforcement and in prosecution and just work with community partners, work with our local and state law enforcement partners, and get back into community and build that trust,” Ison said.
Ison said she also wants to look at violent crime.
“We have to do something about violent crime. And, so, I’m going to restructure our approach to it. We’re going to go back to some of the basics. And we’re going to start pursuing those traditional federal complex, violent crimes, dismantling large, violent gangs,” Ison said.
She hopes to continue being the role model that she’s always been.
“If I serve as an inspiration to little boys and little girls then I’m honored to do it. And I hope that they see in me what they can see for themselves,” Ison said.
Ison hopes to start making an impact as soon as possible. She said her experiences in Detroit will shape how she does her job moving forward.
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