“We’re just regular citizens trying to make a difference.” — Eric Ford

With heavy hearts, we remember Eric Ford, a fierce advocate for justice and the longtime President of the Detroit 300 Community Action Team. His life was a testament to courage, compassion, and unwavering commitment to protecting the most vulnerable in our city.

Eric Ford was not a politician or celebrity. He was a regular citizen who rose to meet the extraordinary challenges facing Detroit’s neighborhoods. His leadership emerged from tragedy—the 2010 rape of a 90-year-old woman in her home—a crime that shook the community to its core. While the victim ultimately passed later that year, the outrage she inspired sparked a movement. From that pain, Detroit 300 was born.

In 2014, Eric was elected President of the organization, and under his guidance, Detroit 300 evolved into a powerful grassroots force. Its mission was clear: protect the “innocents”—our women, children, and senior citizens—and bring justice to those who sought to do them harm.

Ford’s work was hands-on and relentless. Whether organizing citizen patrols, canvassing neighborhoods with flyers, or helping track down violent offenders, he stood on the front lines of Detroit’s fight against crime. In a city often burdened by violence, Ford believed in the power of the people to take back their streets. “We go into neighborhoods and we don’t leave until something is done or someone is caught,” he once said.

What set Eric apart was his ability to unite. Under his leadership, Detroit 300 became a diverse coalition—business owners, clergy, police officers, and former law enforcement—bound together by a common purpose: safety and justice.

In communities where trust in law enforcement had eroded, Ford and his team served as a bridge. He understood that while many were reluctant to speak with police, they would talk to someone like him—someone who listened, who understood, and who acted. “The ‘no snitching’ rule isn’t right,” he said plainly, “when it comes to beating up on an old lady or raping a young girl.”

Eric Ford’s impact may not always have made headlines, but his legacy runs deep through Detroit’s neighborhoods. He embodied the soul of grassroots activism—brave, persistent, and deeply connected to the community he served.

Today, we mourn the loss of a leader. But more than that, we celebrate the life of a man who gave everything he had to make Detroit safer. His vision, his voice, and his valor will live on through every citizen patrol, every community flyer, every act of courage inspired by his work.

Rest in power, Eric Ford. You were one of Detroit’s finest.