Detroit leaders and police tout drop in violent crime statistics in 2024

The smallest number of homicides since 1965 is one of the many alarming facts. People have made various choices, collaborated with local and federal partners, and participated in community violence intervention groups as a result of this.

DETROIT (FOX 2):Detroit officials claim that violent crime has decreased. Mayor Mike Duggan and federal and local law enforcement officials met Friday to examine the new data that showed Detroit has a safer record than in previous years.

The smallest number of homicides since 1965 is one of the many alarming facts. Individuals have made various choices, collaborated with local and federal partners, and participated in community violence intervention (CVI) groups.

In one region, a CVI group experienced an 83% decrease from the previous quarter.

“The reason we’ve been able to be successful,” Force Detroit’s Zoe Kennedy stated. “We know not to throw our community members away.”

A community violence prevention organization called “Shot-Stoppers” works to stop violence before it starts. Violent crime has drastically decreased in the six zones they ignore.

Here are the numbers:

In 2024, Detroit had 203 homicides, the fewest since 1965 and a 19% decrease from 2023.

Only 606 non-fatal gunshots have been reported, a 25% decrease.”You see what happens when a system works together,” Mayor Duggan stated.

However, some criticize the city’s practices, claiming that with all the overlapping cameras, Detroit is on the verge of becoming a surveillance state.

Meanwhile, by promoting the now ten-year-old Greenlight Program, the city attributes significant drops in crime to catching things on camera.

“Businesses that join green light, they see the value of it, they pay to be a part of the program, but they re still there,” Bettison said.

What does Project Greenlight do in Detroit?

Through the project, Detroit businesses will have the opportunity to install CCTV cameras around their premises, along with a giant flashing green light to alert potential burglars to their presence.

In 2023, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the DOJ’s research arm, criticized the experiment, indicating that the program is ineffective. These are the ratings that

Detroit, meanwhile, claims the program is effective and provides evidence of a decline in carjackings. Although those offenses decreased by 15% annually, they have decreased by 71% since Project Green Light began in 2015.

Chief Todd Bettison was also questioned about the department’s “clearance rate,” or how well it solves murder cases. “That metric is 59% of homicides cleared,” Bettison said.

It is nine points higher than the national clearance rate and the lowest it has been since 1970.

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