Tonight on The Detroit Evening Report, we cover Detroit City Council’s appointment of Todd Bettison as the city’s top cop; the passing of former Detroit Police Chief Stanley Knox and more.

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Bettison approved as new police chief

Detroit City Council on Tuesday approved Todd Bettison as Detroit’s new chief of police. Bettison had served as interim chief over the past few months as a search took place for a permanent leader of the department. He was named Detroit’s Deputy Mayor in 2022.  Prior to that, Bettison had a 27- year career with the DPD — retiring as assistant chief of police. Former Detroit Police Chief James White left in October to become the new head of the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network. 

Funeral planned for former Detroit police chief

Former Detroit Police Chief Stanley Knox, who served as the city’s top cop from 1991 until 1994, died on Friday at the age of 85. Knox was named chief in the wake of a scandal, after then-Chief William Hart was indicted for embezzlement in 1991. Knox had a 28–year long career with the Detroit Police Department. Funeral services will be held Tuesday at St. Paul A.M.E. Zion Church at 11359 Dexter in Detroit.

Flood clean up continues in Southwest Detroit

Clean up efforts continue in Southwest Detroit, where a large water main break on Monday caused flooding that damaged homes and vehicles and displaced around 80 families. The Great Lakes Water Authority says it has removed the water at the source of the break, where a 12-foot section of the pipe will need to be replaced. The timeline for completing repairs and returning the main to service is expected to be about two weeks. The city of Detroit is offering hotels for those who were displaced. Residents impacted by the water main break can call 313-774-5261 to get connected to emergency resources. 

Detroit Auto Show announces 2026 dates

The Detroit Auto Show has just released the 2026 dates for the event, Jan. 14-25. The auto show returned to its traditional January time slot this year — after a pause for the pandemic — and then trying some summer dates. Organizers say attendance was much lower this year than in 2019 — the last January show. Approximately 275,000 people came to the show this year, according to organizers. That’s about a third of pre-pandemic numbers. The event generated $370 million in economic impact for the city.   Next year’s charity preview is scheduled to take place on Friday, Jan. 16.

Gas prices hold steady

Gas prices in metro Detroit are essentially remaining steady this week. The average price of a gallon of self-serve unleaded is $3.13 per gallon. That’s two cents less expensive than a week ago, and five cents cheaper than last month at this time.  

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One year from now, Mike Duggan won’t be Detroit’s mayor and there is no shortage of folks vying for the job.

Whoever gets elected will see the city in its next phase of recovery post-bankruptcy. The city’s population is growing and home values are rising, but what’s next?

City Councilman Fred Durhal and current City Council President Mary Sheffield are in the running. Former City Council President — and longtime CEO of The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW) — Saunteel Jenkins is also in the mix.

She sat down with WDET to discuss her vision for the city.

Listen: Saunteel Jenkins shares priorities for addressing poverty, promoting neighborhood growth

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Saunteel Jenkins: Our next mayor has to be someone who will invest in Detroiters from cradle to career and beyond. They need experience in nonprofit, for profit, government and executive experience. The mayor is the CEO of the city of Detroit. I’ve been a CEO for the last 10 years, I know how to deliver, and I’ve been delivering for Detroiters my entire adult life. I want to invest in Detroiters from cradle to career and beyond, and what that means is a Detroit where our children have high-quality early childhood education and daycare centers. We’re making sure that our neighborhoods are safe places and spaces for kids, for families, for seniors. We’re creating businesses and business opportunities and jobs for Detroiters throughout the city, not just downtown. I think we need to have a master plan for each of our seven districts. And the reason that’s important is because it gives Detroiters an opportunity to participate in what the future of their neighborhood should look like. So if the master plan says this district, one needs another movie theater or another grocery store, and you’re opening a grocery store, we’re providing you with incentives to do so, and it provides transparency.

Russ McNamara, WDET News: Where is the next main area for growth in the city?

SJ: I think the next main area of growth has to be in the neighborhoods, not a neighborhood. I think we can walk and chew gum at the same time. It doesn’t have to be that we pick winners and losers. And that’s part of why that master planning process is so important. Because we can do a little bit everywhere, and if we continue to do a little bit everywhere each year, we will start to see the progress spread throughout the city.

RM: The city was still in turmoil when you left city council for THAW. Do you regret that decision at all?

SJ: No, I do not. So I would say the city was still in the process of completing the bankruptcy. I would say the city was in turmoil when I started as city council and we were trying to figure out how not to go into bankruptcy. You know, we were working with the state on a consent agreement and trying to figure out how to actually pay city employees and not miss a payday or not lay off police officers. When I left city council, we were exiting the bankruptcy, the plan of adjustment, the 10 year plan of adjustment, by the way, was in place. So we were actually coming out of the turmoil and setting the stage for, you know, the growth that we’re now seeing.

RM: So why come back now?

SJ: Because the next mayor is going to determine the trajectory of this city for generations to come. And having been there, having done the hard work to set the stage for the successes that we’re all celebrating, I want to make sure that we don’t go back, and that’s why it’s so important that our next mayor is somebody who was here during the tough times, who knows how we got out of it, and understands how to make sure we don’t go back there.

Use the media player above to listen to the full conversation.