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James Craig Hired As New Detroit Police Chief From Cincinnati By Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr

And Detroit's New Police Chief Is..
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Detroit has a new top cop.

Cincinnati Police Chief James Craig announces his plans to resign from the Ohio city's police department in 30 days time to assume the leadership of Detroit's police department.

In a press conference on Tuesday, he acknowledged that Detroit had challenges, but pledged to change the department.

“One of things that concerns me is the level of violence in Detroit. I know that we will turn that around," he said, according to WDIV. "This is not something that I think, this is something that I know.”

In an exclusive interview with the Cincinnati Enquirer, Craig told the newspaper that "going to Detroit is the ultimate job for me.”

He will stay with the Cincinnati police department for 30 more days before heading north to Detroit, he told the Enquirer.

It's not the first time Craig has tried for the job, according to the Detroit Free Press. In 2010, the paper said he emailed Mayor Dave Bing expressing interest in applying for the position.

Craig's career began in Detroit as a police officer in 1977, where he served for four years before moving to Los Angeles and joining the LAPD in 1981. Los Angeles was where Craig advances from sworn officer to top brass, achieving the rank of Captain III before retiring from the force in 2009.

He left Los Angeles for a radically different city and opportunity -- the gig of police chief in Portland, Maine, where Craig reportedly lowered crime stats by 10 percent and created the force's first strategic plan.

In 2011, he became the 13th police chief of Cincinnati. Conversely, the city of Detroit has had 5 police chiefs in 5 years. After Ralph Godbee resigned after a romantic scandal, Chief Chester Logan served until he announced his retirement earlier this month, stating that he was leaving to take care of his sick wife.

The Cincinnati Police Department has more problems beyond Craig's departure. According to the Enquirer, the city must lay off 66 officers as it grapples with a $35 million budget deficit.

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Before You Go

Most Dangerous Neighborhoods In America
#15 Houston: Sauer St. / Mcgowen St.(01 of15)
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City: HoustonNeighborhood: At Sauer St. / Mcgowen St.Zip code: 77004, 77003Violent crimes per 1,000: 75.89Chance of becoming a victim: One in 13Information provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the Sauer St. / Mcgowen St. neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#14 Rockford, Ill.: Kishwaukee St. / Grove St.(02 of15)
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City: Rockford, Ill.Neighborhood: Kishwaukee St. / Grove St.Zip code: 61104Violent crimes per 1,000: 77.6Chance of becoming a victim: One in 13Information provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the Kishwaukee St. / Grove St. neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#13 Chicago: S Homan Ave. / W Roosevelt Road(03 of15)
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City: ChicagoNeighborhood: S Homan Ave. / W Roosevelt RoadZip code: 60623Violent crimes per 1,000: 80.17Chance of becoming a victim: One in 12Information provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the S Homan Ave. / W Roosevelt Road neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#12 St. Louis: Delmar Blvd. / N Euclid Ave.(04 of15)
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City: St. LouisNeighborhood: Delmar Blvd. / N Euclid Ave.Zip code: 63113, 63108Violent crimes per 1,000: 145.29Chance of becoming a victim: One in sevenInformation provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the Delmar Blvd. / N Euclid Ave. neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#11 Memphis, Tenn.: E Eh Crump Blvd. / S 4th St.(05 of15)
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City: Memphis, Tenn.Neighborhood: E Eh Crump Blvd. / S 4th St.Zip code: 38126Violent crimes per 1,000: 82.91Chance of becoming a victim: One in 12Information provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the E Eh Crump Blvd. / S 4th St. neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#10 Saginaw, Mich.: E Holland Ave. / E Genesee Ave.(06 of15)
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City: Saginaw, Mich.Neighborhood: E Holland Ave. / E Genesee Ave.Zip code: 48601Violent crimes per 1,000: 85.64Chance of becoming a victim: One in 12Information provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the E Holland Ave. / E Genesee Ave. neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#9 Atlanta: Hopkins St. SE / Adair Ave. SE(07 of15)
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City: AtlantaNeighborhood: Hopkins St. SE / Adair Ave. SEZip code: 30315Violent crimes per 1,000: 86.14Chance of becoming a victim: One in 12Information provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the Hopkins St. SE / Adair Ave. SE neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#8 Greenville, SC: Woodside(08 of15)
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City: Greenville, SCNeighborhood: WoodsideZip code: 29611Violent crimes per 1,000: 86.38Chance of becoming a victim: One in 12Information provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the Woodside neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#7 Detroit: Wyoming St. / Orangelawn St.(09 of15)
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City: DetroitNeighborhood: Wyoming St. / Orangelawn St.Zip code: 48204Violent crimes per 1,000: 90.82Chance of becoming a victim: One in 11Information provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the Wyoming St. / Orangelawn St. neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#6 Houston: Scott St. / Wilmington St.(10 of15)
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City: HoustonNeighborhood: Scott St. / Wilmington St.Zip code: 77051Violent crimes per 1,000: 91.27Chance of becoming a victim: One in 11Information provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the Scott St. / Wilmington St. neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#5 Spartanburg, SC: Washington Heights(11 of15)
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City: Spartanburg, SCNeighborhood: Washington HeightsZip code: 29306Violent crimes per 1,000: 96.55Chance of becoming a victim: One in 10Information provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the Washington Heights neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#4 Chicago: S Halsted St. / W 77th St.(12 of15)
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City: ChicagoNeighborhood: S Halsted St. / W 77th St.Zip code: 60620Violent crimes per 1,000: 116.56Chance of becoming a victim: One in nineInformation provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the S Halsted St. / W 77th St. neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#3 Detroit: Gratiot Ave. / Rosemary Ave.(13 of15)
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Neighborhood: Mack Ave. / Helen St.Zip code: 48207Violent crimes per 1,000: 123.93Chance of becoming a victim: One in eightInformation provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the Gratiot Ave. / Rosemary Ave. neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
#2 Detroit: Mack Ave. / Helen St.(14 of15)
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Neighborhood: Mack Ave. / Helen St.Zip code: 48207Violent crimes per 1,000: 145.29Chance of becoming a victim: One in sevenAccording to Neighborhood Scout, 78.5 percent of the residential real estate in this Detroit neighborhood was built in 1939 or earlier, a greater concentration of historic homes than 99.1 percent of neighborhoods nationwide, but there is also a high rate of vacancy.Information provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the Mack Ave. / Helen St. neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
Most Dangerous: Detroit's W Chicago / Livernois Ave.(15 of15)
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Neighborhood: W Chicago / Livernois AveZip code: 48204Violent crimes per 1,000: 149.48Chance of becoming a victim: One in sevenIn this neighborhood, .9 percent of adults have earned a bachelor's degree, NeighborhoodScout found, a lower rater than 98.7 percent of neighborhoods nationwide. Information provided by NeighborhoodScout. More info on the W Chicago / Livernois Ave. neighborhood here. (credit:NeighborhoodScout.com)
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