Inkster Police Chief Resigns Citing Senseless Crime, Lack Of Resources

DETROIT (WWJ) - Inkster's police chief has resigned. Hilton Napoleon turned in his resignation Thursday, citing what he calls the "senseless murder of a two-year old" as one reason.

Napoleon also says he's been working under extreme working conditions during the past 18 months, including the lack of resources. His resignation is effective Friday.

The two-year-old he is referring to is Kamiya Gross. She was shot to death July 1 outside a home on Carlyle Street. Her funeral is on Saturday.

Napoleon, has been on the job for about three years, and has advocated for Wayne County Sheriff's department to step in and handle Inkster's policing--to save money and to help crack down on violent crime.

The city is under a consent decree with the state - as it has seen its police force dwindle from about 60 to 25.

In a Free Press article last fall, Hilton Napoleon, the brother of Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon, said he believe some of Inkster officers lacked integrity and weren't "qualified to be police officers."

"They shouldn't be wearing the badge, some of them, and they want to tell me how to run the police department, but that's not going to happen," Napoleon said at the time.

Hilton Napoleon is the brother of Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon. Lieutenant Jeff Smith will be the interim chief until a replacement is found.