Dearborn Police Commander Issa Shahin
By SUE SUCHYTA
Times-Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN – Mayor-elect Abdullah Hammoud announced Dec. 20 that veteran Dearborn Police Commander Issa Shahin, commanding officer of the investigation division, is his choice for the city’s next police chief.
He will be the first Muslim to head the Police Department, and may be the first Muslim police chief in Michigan.
Hammoud will be the city’s first Arab-American and Muslim mayor.
Outgoing Police Chief Ronald Haddad, who is of Lebanese descent, was the city’s first Arabic police chief.
Hammoud said Shahin is currently the department’s senior most commander, with a strong track record and a good rapport within the department.
“He’s committed to building a trusting relationship with residents and delivering equitable policing in a way to best meet today’s demands in community policing,” Hammoud said. “I am confident he will deliver the transparency and accountability residents expect while positioning our police officers for success.”
Shahin is a 23-year veteran of the Police Department, joining the department in 1998, and holding several positions as he rose through the ranks.
He said that while progress has been made by the department in the past few years, much work remains to be done to strengthen police officers’ relationships with residents and to incorporate the latest policing practices.
“I look forward to working with the new mayor to address the concerns of residents in a meaningful way and tackle key issues, such as reckless driving and mental health for residents and first responders.”
Shahin attended Eastern Michigan University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in homeland security and emergency management. He also attended EMU’s School of Police Staff and Command’s Executive Leadership program.
Haddad, whose law enforcement career spans nearly 50 years, joined the Detroit Police Department in 1973, and retired in 2007 as Detroit PD’s deputy chief of the northwestern district.
Mayor John O’Reilly Jr. appointed Haddad police chief in 2008.
Hammoud praised Haddad’s service to the city for the past 13 years.
“Chief Haddad has served the city of Dearborn honorably for more than a decade, working hard to increase public safety and keep our neighborhoods and residents safe,” he said. “The city is thankful for his commitment to the job and his years of public service.”