A multi-group street fight broke out near North Bates Street and Willits in downtown Birmingham over the weekend, prompting residents to demand action and at least one city commissioner to call for officials to see late-night conditions for themselves.
Birmingham City Commissioner Brad Host told FOX 2 Detroit on Monday, Aug. 10, that public safety is becoming a bigger concern in the city.
"I think what one of our citizens said is the Commission should walk downtown 10:30 to 11:30 on weekend nights and see if this is how we want Birmingham to be," Host said. "Call it a field trip."
The brawl involved at least two groups. FOX 2 reported the fight "took over downtown Birmingham." It remains under investigation, and no arrests have been announced.
Birmingham Mayor Clinton Baller declined FOX 2's invitation to discuss the incident.
A pattern of incidents
The brawl is the third high-profile public safety episode in Birmingham in recent months. Host has spoken publicly about all three: a shooting at a short-term rental property on East Lincoln Street that prompted a crackdown on such rentals, a rowdy pool party that drew widespread attention on social media and now the downtown fight.
One resident, who was not identified by name, told FOX 2 that "the lack of police presence is disturbing to me," adding that people travel from elsewhere to participate in Birmingham's downtown nightlife.
New chief arrives amid scrutiny
The city swore in a new police chief at the Monday, Aug. 10 City Commission meeting at the Municipal Building, 151 Martin St. The new chief's name has not been publicly confirmed. The department's previous chief, Scott Grewe, retired in July 2026 after 27 years with the Birmingham Police Department, according to the department's official Instagram account.
The leadership transition comes as the department's workload has grown. The Birmingham Police Department made 229 adult in-custody arrests in 2025, up from 204 in 2024 and 177 in 2023, according to the department's 2025 annual report. Assault incidents totaled 52 in 2025, down from 66 in 2024 but roughly in line with the 54 recorded in 2023. The department has 36 sworn officers.
The city's downtown camera system replacement was roughly half complete by the end of 2025, with expanded coverage planned for the Maple and Adams intersection and Shain Park.
No next steps, such as a public safety hearing or commission agenda item, have been announced. Residents can contact the Birmingham Police Department at 248-530-1870.
