Media Business | Chief James Craig - How the Media Deals with Gubernatorial Candidates

Originally UPLOADED May 9, 2022. James Craig was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. His father, a veteran of the United States Army, served as a reserve police officer at the time of the 1967 Detroit riot, which left a lasting impression on a young James Craig. Craig graduated from Cass Technical High School and joined the Detroit Police Department in 1977, where he was assigned to the 10th Precinct. After being laid off in 1981 due to budget constraints, he moved to Los Angeles where he joined the LAPD. During his tenure as a command officer of the LAPD, Craig was responsible for overseeing many of the most violent areas in Los Angeles and was able to achieve tremendous reductions in crime through the implementation of innovative strategy and by building strong community partnerships. His experience as the president of an African American police association exposed Craig to vitriolic and extreme elements of the Democratic Party and kick-started what had already been a political awakening for the young police officer. His transition in becoming a Republican hastened in 2009 after his appointment as Chief of Police in the City of Portland, Maine. In Portland, the police chief had the responsibility to approve concealed pistol licenses. Often urban police chiefs favor gun control, however, this experience helped him to understand that law abiding citizens with concealed weapons permits can be one of the biggest deterrents for crime. After two years in Portland, Craig was recruited by Cincinnati officials to serve as Chief of Police for the Cincinnati Police Department. Chief Craig was the first African American and first person from outside of Cincinnati to hold the position of Chief of Police. During his tenure as Cincinnati police chief, he was responsible for leading a department of 1,500 sworn and civilian personnel. In 2013, Chief Craig was asked by Governor Rick Snyder to serve as the 42nd Chief of Police to the City of Detroit, his hometown. Over the next eight years, Chief Craig led a department of