Dearborn Mayor-Elect Names New Police Chief

DEARBORN, MI — Dearborn's new police chief will be an Eastern Michigan University graduate and 23-year veteran of the Dearborn Police Department, Mayor-elect Abdullah H. Hammoud announced Monday in a news release.

Commander Issa Shahin, who currently serves as the commanding officer of the department’s investigative division, will be appointed Dearborn Police Chief starting Saturday, Jan. 1. He will also become the city's first Muslim police chief.

"Commander Shahin is the senior most executive commander with a strong track record and good rapport within the department," Hammoud said. "He’s committed to building a trusting relationship with residents and delivering equitable policing in a way to best today’s demands in community policing. I am confident he will deliver the transparency and accountability residents expect while positioning our police officers for success."

Shahin is an Eastern Michigan University graduate and a 23-year veteran of the Dearborn Police Department. He also served as executive commander for three years after holding several positions since joining the department in 1998.

Shahin will succeed Ronald Haddad, who was appointed by O’Reilly and has served as chief since December 2008.

Shahin said in his letter that he "firmly believes everyone's voice matters," the Detroit Free Press reported.

"... We will establish and embrace a culture of transparency and accountability to foster trust and legitimacy inside and outside the organization," Shahin said. "Moreover, the department can embrace needed police reforms while removing criminals from the streets – the concepts are not mutually exclusive. Providing equitable policing to all communities and concurrently remaining tough on crime is wholly achievable."