New Records: James Craig Refused to Get Law Enforcement Certification

James Craig is in hot water after Michigan Radio acquired records showing he refused to get his certification as a law enforcement officer while serving as police chief in Detroit — even though he told Michiganders he would complete the process when he started the role in 2013.

Michigan Radio adds that “Craig faced similar controversy over state certification when he served as police chief of the Cincinnati,” where Craig filed for a waiver to get out of the process but was denied. Craig then took his refusal to get certified to court, where his claims were also rejected, leading him to leave for Detroit soon after.

Craig’s opponents in the nasty GOP primary are already taking aim at him, including former Michigan State Police captain Michael Brown.

“If you’re going to masquerade as a police officer in uniform, you’d better be certified,” Brown said. “It’s really about setting the example for all your police officers that you work with, that you understand exactly what they’re doing on a day-to-day basis, and you have the same training.”

The Detroit Free Press noted that Craig’s campaign “did not immediately respond to a follow-up question about why Craig did not follow through on his promise to voluntarily complete certification while serving in Detroit.”

“James Craig claims to ‘lead from the front’ but this major new report shows he refused to get his law enforcement certification even though he told Michiganders he would,” said DGA Deputy Communications Director Sam Newton. “While Craig needs to explain himself, his Republican opponents in this crowded and divisive primary won’t let voters forget his record of saying one thing and doing another.” 

###