Southfield police chief details plan for new policing model

Police Chief Elvin Barren hosted a press conference recently to announce his goals for the department. Barren held the conference Jan. 22 at the Southfield Public Library, along with representatives from the 46th District Court, Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper, Crimestoppers, Haven of Oakland County, Michigan High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program officials, Oak Park Public Safety Director Steve Cooper, U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence, Southfield Mayor Ken Siver, Southfield Public Schools Superintendent Jennifer Martin-Green, and Southfield Deputy Chiefs Nick Loussia and Brian Bassett. Barren said that most police agencies measure success through reductions in violent and property crimes. Under the new Community Harms-Directed Policing Model, violent and property crimes will remain a priority, but community harms — which Barren outlined during the conference — that affect quality of life will be addressed with a sense of urgency. “Those crimes will continue to be a top priority in the Southfield Police Department, but under the community harms-directed policing model, we sought information from our community, our residents, what we should be focusing on as an agency to affect quality-of-life issues,” Barren said.