Detroit Mayor Faces Scrutiny as Police Chief Intervenes in Ex-Boyfriend Photos
Police Chief Todd Bettison asked an activist to remove unflattering photos of Mayor Mary Sheffield with her ex-boyfriend, sparking an investigation.
Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield is at the center of a controversy after Police Chief Todd Bettison attempted to have unflattering photographs of the mayor with her ex-boyfriend removed from social media. The images, posted by community activist Jahdante Smith, reportedly date back to 2022 and include one of Sheffield kissing an ex-boyfriend, Marvin Walker, on the cheek, and another of them seated together on a gold throne.
Smith claims that after he refused to delete the photos, the Detroit Police Department (DPD) confiscated his phone. The DPD disputes this, stating that the phone was seized as part of a warrant executed after Smith was accused of threatening another individual's life.
Chief Bettison has acknowledged contacting Smith on August 5, seeking the removal of the images. Bettison stated he was acting in a personal capacity, not as police chief, and felt the photos were inappropriate and intended to shame a woman. "The ongoing criminal investigation involving Mr. Smith is completely unrelated to this matter and began before my phone call with him on August 5," Bettison told Fox News. He further explained that the investigation was initiated by a citizen complaint alleging threats, and a judge had issued a search warrant for the phone. "Any suggestion that I influenced or used the investigation for any other purpose is completely false because the facts and timeline speak for themselves."
The Detroit Office of Inspector General confirmed an investigation into Bettison's actions is underway, though specific details have not been released. Mayor Sheffield declined to comment on the investigation when approached by Fox News, but expressed confidence in Chief Bettison's leadership. "Violent and non-violent crime continues to go down, and I think that's what Detroiters care about," Sheffield said. "And I think all of us, including the media, should allow that investigative process to play out."
When asked about her personal reaction to the photos, Sheffield instructed the reporter to "calm down" and reiterated her lack of further comment.
Sheffield, 39, assumed the role of Detroit Mayor in January 2026. She married Rickey Jackson Jr., a program manager at a nonprofit, the month prior.
