How to convert a improper date format inside mysql?

So I'm working with a database of crime incidents, and the police
department for whatever reason put the datefield as "1/1/2005 0:00:00"

I've left the field as varchar since just changing the fieldtype to
datetime doesn't appear to work.

I know how to deal with this in PHP...but what kind of functions does
mysql have for converting a string into a proper date? Or is my best
route to run a php script, in which i read a row, extract the date and
convert it, and then update that row?

>So I'm working with a database of crime incidents, and the police
>department for whatever reason put the datefield as "1/1/2005 0:00:00"
>
>I've left the field as varchar since just changing the fieldtype to
>datetime doesn't appear to work.
>
>I know how to deal with this in PHP...but what kind of functions does
>mysql have for converting a string into a proper date? Or is my best

Try str_to_date(). However, you have to know the format being used.

>route to run a php script, in which i read a row, extract the date and
>convert it, and then update that row?

str_to_date() can probably handle any one of these formats,
but you're in trouble if the input is a mixture of them:

2/29/2005 0:00:00
29/2/2005 0:00:00
29-Feb-2005 0:00:00
12:00 AM Feb 29 2005