DETROIT – Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield declined to comment when asked whether Detroit police Chief Todd Bettison acted appropriately during a recorded phone call with activist Jahdante Smith.
The call, recorded in August, is now part of an investigation by Detroit’s Office of Inspector General, an independent oversight agency.
Local 4 has been trying for weeks to get Sheffield on camera about the call.
She was approached after a ribbon-cutting ceremony in southwest Detroit.
During the call, Bettison asked Smith to remove social media posts showing old pictures of Sheffield with her then-boyfriend, Marvin Walker.
“This is my ask, and it’s not a big ask at all. I would like for you to take those pictures down off your Facebook page,” Bettison said.
When Local 4 spoke with Bettison, he said he made the request as a private citizen rather than as police chief.
“I didn’t ask him as chief of police. We have a personal relationship. I asked him as Todd,” Bettison said.
Smith said Bettison’s position as police chief still carried authority during the call.
“He always going to have his authority as the chief. I think that call is intimidation and, in a way, a threat,” Smith said.
Sheffield declines to comment
Sheffield was asked Tuesday afternoon whether she had asked anyone in her administration to contact Bettison about having the photographs removed and whether she believed Bettison’s actions were appropriate.
Sheffield said the matter was under investigation and declined to comment.
“This is currently under investigation by the Office of the Inspector General, and I think we all should let that process play out. So really no further comment on it. I remain confident in the chief’s ability to lead our city in every major category of crime. Violent and non-violent crime continues to go down, and I think that’s what Detroiters care about. And I think all of us, including the media, should allow that investigative process to play out,” she said.
When asked whether she had a personal reaction to seeing the photographs, Sheffield again declined to comment.
“As I mentioned, sir, calm down. No further comment. It is an investigative process, and I’m going to allow that process to play out,” she said.
OIG says investigation details are confidential
Local 4 reached out to the Office of the Inspector General for an update on the Bettison investigation.
The office says all details of ongoing investigations must remain confidential.
Once the investigation is complete, the city charter only allows the office to make recommendations.
The OIG says it will post its full report online.
