Duggan Appoints New Fire Commissioner

Former police officer and director of the city’s Building Department Eric Jones is Detroit’s new fire commissioner.

Bre’Anna Tinsley/ WDET

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan today appointed former police officer Eric Jones as the city’s Interim Fire Commissioner.

Jones replaces the retiring Commissioner Edsel Jenkins effective immediately.

Jones says he wants to make sure firefighters have the equipment they need to do the job.

“We have the greatest firefighters in the nation,” he says. “I just read about the wall collapsing on the Kansas City Fire Fighters. And I’m thinking I don’t want that here. I want to make sure that we have the training, the proper equipment and that they get a fair wage.

Jones says he plans to re-evaluate the top management in the department and build a team that supports firefighters. He says he will go on a listening tour in coming weeks to hear to concerns.

 

Author

  • Bre'Anna Tinsley
    Bre'Anna Tinsley is a reporter for Detroit Public Radio, 101.9 WDET. She covers city government and housing, as well as co-hosting the "Detroit Evening Report" podcast.