It doesn't make any difference where I live. The officer has a Detroit apartment, where he spends some nights as his family remains in their suburban home. That's not why I left. I left because of crime and the schools. The area has shopping districts and private schools and is near Lake St. Clair.
Residents are proud of their streets, but leary of the crime they say lurks on the edges.
For city workers thinking of leaving, core issues of crime, taxes, schools and home values will weigh heavily. He's sick of the expense, tired of the crime and eager to depart. Race, too, remains a factor. Some black workers said they will stay in Detroit because they believe they remain unwelcome in the suburbs. Larry Sanders, a 27-year firefighter on Detroit's west side, cited a big personal investment.