Gary A. Brown was elected as the Detroit City Council President Pro Tem
on November 4, 2009 after receiving the second most number of votes.
With a proven track record of integrity, visionary leadership and
nearly 30 years of service to Detroiters, his campaign ran on a
platform of improving public safety and education and balancing the
budget.
Councilman Brown serves as the Chair of the Public
Health and Safety Standing Committee. He also represents the Detroit
City Council as a board member of the Southeast Michigan Council of
Governments (SEMCOG), the Detroit Historical Society and the Eastern
Market District.
Councilman Brown has a proven track record of
being able to work with community organizations, the business and
private sectors, as well as civic groups to build strategies that
empower citizens to take charge of their own destinies and reclaim
their neighborhoods. He has served on numerous boards and currently
leads his neighborhood association’s vacant house committee. Councilman
Brown is extremely proud of the cooperative partnerships that have been
built involving community outreach during his tenure on these boards.
As
an advocate for education and crime prevention, Councilman Brown is a
volunteer lecturer at Detroit’s Barsemian High School co-teaching a
90-minute seminar on “Violence Prevention.”
The Council
President Pro Tem was born and raised in Detroit. He is a graduate of
Northwestern High School. While in high school, Councilman Brown
started out as a bagger at a Farmer Jack supermarket in Detroit.
Proving his leadership abilities, he quickly ascended to become the
assistant manager of a store generating $10 Million in annual revenue.
Shortly
after graduation, Councilman Brown entered the United States Marine
Corps, and within two short years, received three meritorious
promotions. After being honorably discharged, he attended Wayne State
University where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal
Justice.
In 1977, Councilman Brown joined the Detroit Police
Department and was selected president of his recruit class. During his
26 years of service with the DPD, he rose through the ranks with honor
and distinction. Councilman Brown served the community as Commander of
the 1st, 3rd, 9th and 11th Precincts, and he also provided executive
direction in a variety of critical areas, including Gang Squad,
Narcotics and Internal Affairs. At the time of his retirement, he had
attained the rank of Deputy Police Chief. One of his proudest
accomplishments was being the first African-American to receive the
highest score on the Police Lieutenant's Promotional Examination. While
serving with the Detroit Police Department, Councilman
Brown received numerous letters of commendation, awards and certificates.
In
addition, Councilman Brown earned a Master's of Science Degree from
Eastern Michigan University and attended the FBI National Academy, as
well as Northwestern University's Staff and Command.
He is
married to Sherri and together they have two adult children, a third
daughter currently attending Howard University, and four grandchildren.