Detroit, MI
Detroit police chief talks security ahead of 2024 NFL Draft:
(CBS DETROIT) – We are less than two weeks away from the start of the 2024 NFL draft, and downtown Detroit will surely look a lot different once fans barrel into Motown.
With thousands of new visitors, police say security will be tight.
“We do big events in Detroit, we do Taylor Swift, we do Beyonce concerts, you know, we know how to manage big crowds. This is unique, it’s bigger than ever a Superbowl,” Detroit Police Chief James White said.
From national parades to concerts, Detroit sees it all. But with the NFL draft touching down in weeks, it’s a whole new feat. It’s estimated at least 300,000 people will travel into the city to enjoy the festivities.
READ: NFL Draft in Detroit. New details about how to get around the city
“Pack some patience. You are going to have to park early. You can’t come down at the last minute and think you are going to have full access to everything,” White said.
Road closures will continue throughout downtown until the main event. Visitors should expect things to be more controlled in the coming weeks. In total, there are six phases of closures. Phase three begins Monday as Hart Plaza gets draft-ready.
“They’re going to progressively see more road closures until we get to the go time. In fact, they are going to have to really manage and plan ahead of where they are trying to go,” White said.
As the city takes the national spotlight, the excitement builds. But for the chief, he and his team spent a year crossing Ts and dotting I’s to make sure all residents and visitors could enjoy the fun.
“The whole event is weapons-free. Often when we say weapons-free, people think we are talking guns. No weapons, no brass knuckles, no pepper spray,” White said.
A big topic for the draft preps is the new “Detroit” sign on Interstate 94. It’s been a talker for sure with some on social media criticizing the sign while others think it helps set Detroit apart.
“Maybe I’m in the minority on this. I kind of like it, and I think it’s unique. I’ve been focused on the draft, so I really haven’t paid much attention to the social media chatter on it, but I drove it today, and it looks kinda cool to me,” White said.
CBS News Detroit is told there’s even a special detail assigned to watch over the sign to make sure no one bothers it.
For the chief, he’s confident that the city of Detroit will be able to show its beauty and grit for the world to see.
“That narrative that’s associated with Detroit, as my daughter says, is played out, and we are in a different place right now. We are ready to show the world what we can do,” White said.
Police say one person is dead and another is in custody following a shooting Tuesday evening in Detroit.
At about 6 p.m., officers responded to the 19300 block of Strasburg Street, initially for a double fatal shooting. However, further investigation determined that only one person had died and the other suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Officer Jalon Nelson said the survivor is currently in police custody while recovering in the hospital. It is unclear what led up to the shooting, but Nelson says it was an isolated incident.
The names and ages of both individuals have not been released.
“Our condolences go out to the families of both involved parties. One life lost is one too many in our city,” Nelson said.
Nelson says the investigation is ongoing.
The Detroit Tigers have been talked about heavily with the trade deadline just around the corner, but when they’re discussed, it revolves around back-to-back AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. As of right now, the Tigers have told teams that Skubal is off-limits as Detroit looks to claw back into the standings.
That being said, the Tigers could still find trade packages this season, especially if things go south as they did in May. While Skubal is the biggest name in Detroit’s system to get moved at the trade deadline, one MLB.com analyst believes there could be another player who could be packing his bags.
Could This Tiger Get Traded This Summer?
Since Scott Harris has taken over as President of Baseball Operations for the Tigers, mixed emotions have come from how he handles trades at the deadline. Detroit was one of the best teams in the American League last season and was a buyer at the deadline, but Harris only brought in one player who remains on the MLB roster, resulting in backlash given their standing.
According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, one player that the Tigers could trade this deadline is former first overall pick, first baseman Spencer Torkelson. Torkelson has been an interesting case for Detroit, showcasing power every other season.
Feinsand listed Torkelson as a trade candidate who could get traded this deadline, who needs a change of scenery. While the thought is there, given how many years are left under team control, it doesn’t feel like a move that the front office would do… this season.
“The Tigers have 21-year-old Josue Briceño (MLB Pipeline’s No. 64 overall prospect) working his way toward the Majors, giving Detroit a potential replacement for 2027. If the disappointing Tigers decide to reset at the Trade Deadline, Torkelson could be a risk-reward acquisition for a club seeking a power bat,” Feinsand wrote.
Sure, Torkelson hasn’t been the Miguel Cabrera power replacement some had hoped for, but he has been a key asset to the offense over the last few seasons. When he’s sending the ball out of the ballpark, he’s at his best, and he might be starting to tap into that side of himself again.
If Detroit is telling teams that Skubal, a player on an expiring contract set to hit free agency at season’s end, is off limits, it’s hard to believe that they would find a trade involving Torkelson and banking on Briceño for the future.
Over the last two weeks of action, Torkelson is hitting .250 at the plate with two home runs and five RBIs, but he has 11 hits in total. A.J. Hinch has been wanting Torkelson to find productivity that isn’t just a home run or a walk, and he’s started to live up to the assignment.
Since the Tigers aren’t true sellers at the moment, despite their fourth-place standing at 27-39 ahead of a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins, fans shouldn’t lean too much into the thought of Torkelson getting traded until there’s a true direction for the franchise.
As of June, Detroit has a record of 5-1 this month, with most of its remaining games set to be played at Comerica Park.
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