Candidate Profile: Deborah Burke For Detroit Police Commissioner

Deborah Burke, a DETROIT resident is running for Detroit Police Commissioner District 2.

Age: 49
Party affiliation: N/A
Family:N/A
Occupation:Full-Time Psychology Faculty - 15 yrs
Previous elected experience:N/A
Family members in government:no
Campaign website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-burke-she-her-hers-12205089/

The single most pressing issue facing our state is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.
Equity. Identifying systems and institutions which are not working equitably for everyone and making the necessary changes. The BOPC is uniquely positioned to accomplish this through, but not limited to, DPD policy enforcement, review & change.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
My educational background is in research study design and analysis. I'm ready to review data and ask the right questions of DPD. If elected, I would be the only professional academic on the Police Commission, my skills will compliment the current make-up of the Commission.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
While at Schoolcraft as a full-time faculty, I negotiated 2 faculty union labor contracts, one in 2015 and one in 2018. I also conducted the oversight and enforcement of those contracts, managing all grievances and representing faculty for 5 years. In 2019 I was recognized by peers with the Faculty Union Service Award. I’m proud of the work our Union Executive Team did to secure good working conditions and wages for our members. Police Commissioner provides an opportunity to write, review and enforce policy which make policing and our community safer.
I’ve created a Critical Race Theory unit in my Educational Psychology course, a course for K-12 teachers in training. I’m currently working on a entire psychology course dedicated to Racism and Discrimination, with the goal of getting Schoolcraft’s Education, Nursing and Criminal Justice programs to require it. I was able to initiate a change in the criminal justice associates at Schoolcraft that required Introduction to Psychology for all students enrolled in that program. In 2018 I was honored to receive the Faculty Teaching Excellence Award.

What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses?
Public safety is directly linked to opportunity. Increasing opportunity through the use of public funds to keep businesses open when possible could help.

How will you address the calls for racial justice and police reform?
Increasing transparency and accountability through policy enforcement and review. Making the necessary changes when policies are not working for our community. This would include but not limited to issues of training requirements, surveillance policy, complaint processes and reporting.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:
I am running for Police Commissioner because I believe in the power of community to drive change. Some ways in which the commission could be more effective would be making sure our friends and neighbors know about the commission as a civilian oversight body, utilizing the full authority of the BOPC to investigate DPD complaints, training reform, expansion of mental health units and ban facial recognition technology.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
This is a time of reckoning and a reexamination, a time to re-imagining public safety. It will require understanding of the history, looking to the research, best practices, national trends and listening to residents which are all important variables when participating in any oversight practice. I’m ready to integrate all those variables and engage in whatever dialogue is needed for the health and safety of both police and our community. With the support and input of my district and fellow commissioners I am ready to serve. Thank you for allowing me to share my experience and vision.
Endorsements: The Black Slate, Michigan People's Campaign, State Representative Wendell Byrd, Dr Lisa Jackson, State Commissioner on Law Enforcement Standards and current Police Commissioners from Districts 1, 2, & 4.