For 15 years, sharp dresser, private pilot, and former Executive Deputy Chief of the Detroit Police Department James Bannon worked to define what law enforcement should be in a city dealing with issues of race, identity politics, blight, and transformation.

In 1949, Bannon joined the Detroit Police Department, where he steadily climbed the ranks until he held the role of the department’s day-to-day leader under the controversial former Detroit Mayor Coleman Young and Chief William Hart.

In fact, when Hart was eventually indicted and convicted of embezzling undercover funds, Bannon was the individual who kept the department running like a well-oiled machine as Executive Deputy Chief.

An extreme progressive by the standards of his time, Bannon was a devoted advocate for black advancement and integration in law enforcement. He also used his voice to support rape victims long before viral movements such as Me Too, using his Ph.D. in sociology from Wayne State University as a force for good.

In 1979, James Bannon turned down an offer to become Chief of the LAPD, instead choosing to command the infamous STRESS unit (Stop the Robberies, Enjoy Safe Streets) that was started under Mayor Roman Gribbs to combat robbery during Detroit’s heroin epidemic.

Unfortunately, STRESS went on to take the life of 20 suspects in 30 months, nearly all of whom were Black, which brought endless community backlash for Mayor Gribbs and his team.

In response, Bannon fiercely defended the unit, even infamously telling Ramparts magazine, “No god-damned bunch of intellectual eunuchs is going to tell professional policemen how to do their jobs.”

The backlash was historic.

Mayor Coleman Young centered his campaign around abolishing STRESS, a promise he made good on within weeks of taking office.
It was only then that Bannon finally softened his stance, reluctantly acknowledging the controversy as one of his failures even though he stood by his initial intent.

Unlike so many of his peers, Bannon didn’t avoid the press…he welcomed it, flying media over Detroit in DPD aircraft on Devil’s Night, taking reporters along with him on crime rides, and completely leaning into his local celebrity status.

Though he was far from universally loved, he was a household name all the same, one who navigated the most volatile legal and political waters with dignity and grace.

For that, he will always have a place within the annals of Detroit’s most iconic law enforcement officers.

Victoria Jackson (Editor In Chief)

Victoria Jackson is a lifelong student and sharp-eyed documentarian of all things Detroit, from its rich musical roots and cultural icons to its shifting neighborhoods, storied architecture, and underground legends. With her finger firmly on the pulse of both the city’s vibrant past and its rapidly unfolding future, she brings a deeply personal, historically grounded lens to every piece she writes.

Published on: October 1, 2025