Detroit Public Safety Foundation

The Detroit Public Safety Foundation (DPSF) works in partnership with citizens, businesses, and philanthropies to help the Detroit Police Department (DPD) and the Detroit Fire Department (DFD) initiate innovated programs that make Detroit a safer place to live, work and visit. In 2003, the Detroit Police Foundation was incorporated in the state of Michigan as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. In 2011, the Detroit Police Foundation changed its name to the Detroit Public Safety Foundation – dedicated to strengthening the Police and Fire Departments and promoting public safety. The DPSF focuses in the areas of training, technology, equipment, community engagement and wellness.

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The majority of the City’s budget for Police and Fire is dedicated to personnel payroll and benefits. The DPSF invests in the Departments by providing funding for needs and priorities not covered in the City’s budget. Historically, the DPSF has focused most of its funding on community engagement initiatives. In 2020, the DPSF raised more than $941,761 in grant funding for programs supporting DPD and DFD. Over the past three years, the DPSF has grown steadily, each year raising more money in grants, in-kind donations, and programming funds. In 2020, auditors with Plante Moran determined that 95 cents for every dollar donated to the Foundation goes toward programming projects.