DETROIT (WWJ) — Detroit Police Chief James White will soon have a new job title, as he has been hired as the CEO of a non-profit organization that focuses on helping people with mental health issues.
White was appointed Wednesday as the new CEO of the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network, a position that has been open since June.
White, a mental health counselor, has been Detroit’s top cop since he was appointed interim chief in June 2021. He assumed the full-time job that September.
During his time at the top of DPD, White started a unit called the Crisis Intervention Team, which partners with mental health professionals from DWIHN to respond to calls involving mental health crises, as well as a broader focus on mental heatlh.
Last month when it was announced White was interviewing for the DWIHN position, he called this “an extremely important role at a critical time for Detroit and Wayne County.”
“We continue to have a mental health crisis in our community that needs to be addressed at multiple levels,” White said. "I look forward to a competitive process and want to respect the process by not saying anything further at this time.”
Speaking after his confirmation as CEO on Wednesday, White said he is “very humbled and honored with this board’s trust in me.”
“I look forward to this journey ahead. I know it will be challenging, but I’m excited. We have a good team here and I’m excited to roll up my sleeves and make an impact on mental health and work with the dynamic team that you already have in place and continue the great work that DWIHN has already done and make it even better,” White said.
A timeline for when White will begin his role as CEO of the non-profit is not clear, as DWIHN and White still have to negotiate a contract.
Mayor Mike Duggan was among city leaders who congratulated White on his new role.
"James White has been as fine a police chief as any in America. He has led the department with professionalism and integrity and helped make Detroit a safer community," Duggan said in a statement sent to WWJ. "I know he’ll take those same talents and dramatically improve mental health services to the people of Wayne County as the CEO of DWIHN."
Detroit City Council Pro Tem James Tate said during his time as chief, White "consistently partnered with members of our community to implement initiatives that led to lower crime rates, making Detroit a safer place for all. His creation of the Detroit Police Department’s Crisis Intervention Team, which partners with mental health professionals to address crises, exemplifies his forward-thinking approach to public safety, community-focused policing, and his understanding of the underlying causes of crime."
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