Flint Police Chief Terence Green Plans to Retire
Green submitted retirement paperwork to the city, with his last day expected November 30.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in People
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Flint Police Chief Terence Green submitted paperwork to retire at the end of the month. Green has served in law enforcement for 34 years and is expected to leave his post on November 30.
Why it matters
The retirement comes days after Flint voters elected Tonya Burns as mayor, creating a leadership transition at both City Hall and the police department. Green said it is now time to do something different and spend more time with his family.
Green's retirement follows 34 years in law enforcement and comes after the department began his tenure with 25 sworn positions unfilled. The source does not indicate who will replace him or how the vacancy will be addressed.
The players
Terence Green
Flint Police Chief who submitted retirement paperwork after 34 years in law enforcement.
Tonya Burns
Newly elected mayor of Flint whose election preceded Green's retirement decision.
Sheldon Neeley
Former Flint mayor who selected Green to serve as police chief.
The details
Green submitted retirement paperwork to the city, and his last day is expected to be November 30. Mayor Sheldon Neeley had selected Green to lead the department, and Green has described officer morale as very low when he arrived.
Timeline
Friday: Green was interviewed by ABC12 about his decision.
November 30: Expected last day as Flint police chief.
Leadership Transition
Green's retirement is tied to the change in Flint's mayoral leadership after voters elected Tonya Burns. It marks the police department's own leadership shift as the city's new administration takes office.
Residents will see a change in the top leadership of the Flint Police Department when Green leaves at the end of November. The department's direction under a new chief will depend on who is selected to replace him.
The takeaway
Leadership changes at City Hall often ripple into public safety departments, and Flint's residents will be watching how the next chief is chosen. Green's tenure highlights the challenge of filling long-standing vacancies in local police forces.
What happens next
Green's last day is expected November 30, when the department will need a new chief.
Further reading
Explore more People coverage tied to leadership changes in Flint.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ABC 12 WJRT-TV.
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