Detroit’s former emergency manager said Thursday that he worries about his son ending up dead after an encounter with police, echoing the fears of many other black parents.
Kevyn Orr made the comment during an exit interview at the Detroit Economic Club after stepping down from his position overseeing the city last month. He was appointed to the job by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) in 2013, sparking divisiveness in the city throughout his term. Some applauded his ability to negotiate settlements with creditors and pull Detroit out of the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history, also completed in December; other residents opposed concessions imposed on retired civil servants and saw his appointment as ceding local control and voting rights.
Orr, a bankruptcy lawyer, spoke candidly while responding to a question about race and policing from moderator Stephen Henderson, editorial page editor at the Detroit Free Press.
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Orr, who previously worked on Chrysler’s 2009 bankruptcy and restructuring, will now lend his services to Atlantic City. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) appointed Orr to the financially troubled city’s emergency management team last week.
Read the rest of Orr’s comments at the Detroit Economic Club about race and his time in the city at the Free Press.
