Coleman Young - Five Terms As Mayor

Five Terms As Mayor

Young's 1973 Mayoral campaign addressed the role of the violence inflicted upon an increasingly black city -- the black population in Detroit was slightly less than fifty percent in 1972-- by a disproportionately white police department. Young pledged the elimination of one particularly troubled police unit, STRESS (Stop the Robberies and Enjoy Safe Streets.) STRESS had been connected to the death of eight black people in its first four months of operation and 18 people in its first 14 months. The unit's operations were suspended in 1972 by order of the mayor. In November 1973, Young narrowly defeated former Police Commissioner John F. Nichols (whom the previous mayor, Roman Gribbs, had to dismiss as Police Commissioner when Nichols refused to resign while campaigning for mayor. Nichols would later be elected as Oakland County Sheriff) to become Detroit's first black mayor. Young promptly disbanded the STRESS unit, began efforts to integrate the police department and increased patrols in high crime neighborhoods utilizing a community policing approach. Young's effect on integrating the Detroit Police Department was successful with the percentage of black police officers rising from 19% in the early 1970s to 63% by 2000. However, Young was clearly unable to cure many of the city's problems of crime and policing; the Detroit Police Department was viewed by many residents as having a pattern of reckless use of deadly force; in addition, by the end of his term, many city residents accused the police department of concentrating their efforts in the downtown and business areas, such as the new center, and ignoring many residential neighborhoods. By the end of his last term, the population of Detroit had shrunk by more than half and the crime rate was far higher than it was before he became mayor.

Young won re-election by wide margins in November 1977, November 1981, November 1985 and November 1989, for a total of 20 years as mayor, based largely on black votes.

Young was an outspoken advocate for federal funding for Detroit construction projects, and his administration saw the completion of the Renaissance Center, Detroit People Mover, Joe Louis Arena, and several other Detroit landmarks. He also negotiated with General Motors to build its new "Poletown" plant at the site of the former Dodge Main plant. This was controversial, as the new plant was larger than the old one and the deal involved many evictions via eminent domain. During Young's last two administrations there was opposition among some neighborhood activists to these large construction projects. This opposition typically manifested itself in rigorous budget debate rather than in serious electoral challenges against Young. Most of the time Young prevailed over this opposition, seeking jobs and economic stimulus as a way to help rebuild Detroit's neighborhoods.