Laura Berman

Bing lets loose the fireworks

Just when Dave Bing's low-key style was beginning to suggest narcolepsy or invisibility, the new mayor abruptly sacked his police chief and replaced him with a motorcycle-loving politician who had run against him for the mayor's office in February.

As these events unfolded over what should have been a dull holiday weekend, blindsided Detroit Police Chief James Barren revealed that Bing -- who had publicly professed support for Barren -- never bothered to meet with him.

Barren's sudden departure was a stunner. But the veteran cop hadn't worked any miracles since his appointment in September -- and the shooting of seven teenagers at a school-bus stop served to prove, conclusively, his lack of magical powers.

Bing's bold choice

Whether or not wizardry's in store, Bing's choice of Wayne County Sheriff Warren Evans isn't timid: Evans arrives with a political base of his own and a history of independence. As a Detroit mayoral candidate, he stopped foreclosing on Wayne County homes -- a showy move that played to voters, if not to the banks or to Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano. (Evans backed off that plan after the election.)

Ficano and Evans clashed over turf and dollars, too. Both are elected officials and the county's $100 million deficit effectively limited Evans' power. In response, Evans sued the county.

What's the sheriff's appeal to Bing? It could be that Evans is widely perceived, especially in suburban 6circles, as an effective law enforcement officer, a straight-shooter who wants to get tough on crime and keep accurate police records.

Hiring his recent opponent might be read as a sign of Bing's self-confidence.

As sheriff, Evans won over public safety directors who appreciated his collaborative style and willingness to devote more resources to what had been a neglected area. "From my perspective, Detroit's lucky to have him," says Chip Snider, the Northville Township supervisor who was its public safety director.

Ficano, who acknowledges Bing's right to bring in his own chief, also says: "I do want to say that Barren had the support of the officers."

No outsider

What he's not is an outsider -- but then, it's not as if Bing can recruit from San Francisco. Evans' family's historic and political connections are formidable: he's former Detroit Police Chief Ella Bully-Cummings' ex-husband, his uncle the Rev. Albert Cleage Jr. founded the politically influential Shrine of the Black Madonna, and his daughter at one time worked for former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.

Can he fix a department that's under federal supervision? A department that right now solves only one out of every three murders? Will a man who chafed at the shrinking Wayne County budget find more resources in a city with a $300 million deficit?

New Police Chief Warren Evans may work future miracles as a man of action. But right now, his timely arrival serves the mayor's purpose: On the eve of Independence Day, when you might have expected this relaxed mayor to be resting, he tossed us some unexpected fireworks.

lberman@detnews.com