Officials break ground for new Detroit public safety headquarters

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing joined other city and law enforcement officials to break ground on the city’s future public safety headquarters Tuesday.

The former MGM Grand Casino and another building will get a $60 million makeover before it’s slated to open next year.

The renovated complex will house Detroit’s Police, Fire, EMS, and Homeland Security departments. There are also plans to put a Michigan State Police crime lab there.

Bing says the new set-up will help the city’s crime-fighting efforts.

“We know that this consolidation will increase efficiencies, and re-define how public safety agencies operate in our city,” Bing said.

But Bing says those agencies can’t fight crime alone. He acknowledged the fear many Detroiters have about crime, but said we can’t let that fear paralyze us.”

 “They’re a small group of people that are committing all of these crimes,” Bing said. “We cannot be afraid of them. Let’s take this war to the streets, and let’s win this war together.”

Officials project the new headquarters should be up and running in about a year.