The Detroit Police Department has formally transferred its active investigations concerning local activist Jahdante Smith and shelter operator Marvin Walker—a former partner of Mayor Mary Sheffield—to outside law enforcement authorities. The administrative handover follows mounting public and professional scrutiny surrounding Police Chief Todd Bettison, whose personal communications with the targets of the inquiries have raised serious questions regarding administrative conduct and departmental impartiality.
Department officials officially acknowledged the transfer of the case files on September 10, confirming that municipal investigators would no longer direct the proceedings. Department spokeswoman Jasmin Barmore affirmed that any ongoing or subsequent inquiries connected to Smith and Walker have been routed to external entities. Barmore declined to specify the particular agencies that accepted jurisdiction or the exact legal justifications for the transfer, noting only that all related complaints going forward would likewise be directed outside the municipal police force.
According to a source familiar with the proceedings and corroborated internal records, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has assumed oversight of key elements of the inquiry. An internal department timeline confirmed that a federal special agent informed Detroit police that the bureau would take over the public corruption facet of the case. Furthermore, federal officials instructed municipal authorities that the FBI would cease providing ongoing investigative progress reports to the local department.
The underlying investigations unfolded across July and August, coinciding with the circulation of intimate photographs on social media platforms depicting Walker alongside Sheffield. The images were reportedly disseminated online by Smith, prompting high-level concern within city leadership and the police administration.
During the course of the probe, Chief Bettison personally intervened by reaching out directly to the subjects under investigation. According to previous acknowledgments by the chief, he spoke directly with Walker on July 11 and later communicated with Smith on August 5. In both instances, Bettison urged the men to halt the distribution of the photographs and remove the sensitive material from digital platforms.
The chief's direct engagement has drawn sharp criticism from both active and former law enforcement personnel who question the propriety of top administrative involvement in an active criminal matter concerning the mayor. While police later executed a search warrant to seize Smith’s mobile phone, the department maintained that the confiscation was strictly connected to a separate, unrelated complaint alleging phone threats and online harassment against an acquaintance.
Much of the operational scope was detailed in a confidential seven-page timeline prepared by the department. The internal document, which initially surfaced publicly on September 9 after being shared by media commentator Charlie LeDuff of the Michigan Enjoyer and the No BS Newshour, outlined inquiries spanning "complex crimes" and "cyber crimes" units. A member of the Detroit Police Department, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, verified the authenticity of the records.
The leaked operational summary reveals that municipal investigators maintained an extensive line of inquiry into Walker's business and personal dealings. Detectives examined potential allegations encompassing deed fraud, vehicle-related fraud, and the operational integrity of facilities run by Walker's organization, Detroit Power. Investigators also scrutinized whether Walker was tied to municipal contracts, although no city contracts associated with him were ultimately identified in the documentation.
The timeline also documents that Bettison received regular weekly briefings on the status of the complex crimes and cyber inquiries. In addition, the records reflect prior public corruption allegations, including past claims cited by LeDuff that Walker collected financial kickbacks on behalf of Sheffield during her tenure as a member of the Detroit City Council. Walker, who has a prior criminal record involving fraud, subsequently recanted those statements and denied the kickback allegations during an interview.
Efforts to transition the file to outside agencies began late in the summer. Department records show that an official representing the Michigan Attorney General’s Office attended a formal meeting with Detroit police investigators on August 21. Days later, on August 26, municipal police provided federal agents with an exhaustive overview detailing the case from its initial inception to its prevailing status. The FBI formally assumed responsibility for its designated portion of the case on August 31.
The internal documentation does not clarify whether federal authorities or the municipal police department initiated the August 26 briefing and subsequent jurisdictional transfer. However, the records indicate that the Detroit Police Department sought to offload remaining components of the investigation shortly thereafter.
On September 1, Detroit police officially asked the Michigan State Police to assume responsibility for the cybercrimes investigation focusing on Smith. The state agency formally declined the request. Michigan State Police spokesperson Lt. Kim Vetter subsequently confirmed that the state police do not have an active open investigation involving either Walker or Smith.
Spokespersons for federal authorities have maintained standard protocol regarding the disclosures. Jordan Hall, representing the FBI’s Detroit Field Office, stated via email that the bureau does not confirm or deny the existence of investigations, nor does it comment on specific meetings, referrals, or evidentiary reviews. Hall noted that receiving and reviewing materials from municipal partners is routine and does not automatically signal the formal opening of a full-scale federal investigation.
The Michigan Attorney General’s Office did not provide comment regarding its August meeting with local investigators. Meanwhile, Smith has maintained that he engaged in no unlawful behavior, and Walker has not issued a formal response to inquiries regarding the transferred proceedings.
(0)