Data shows crime in Detroit is trending down; police chief talks future plans for city

CBS News

4 days ago

As summer continues to heat up, the Detroit Police Department is reporting a continuing drop in violent crime citywide, hitting historic lows over the last year.
"We believe in no neighborhood left behind; we're going to continue to place resources," said Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison.
Bettison cites the double-digit drops in homicides, sexual assaults, carjackings and non-fatal shootings as progress.
Still, Bettison says he understands how the recent string of deadly shootings may feel like enough hasn't been done.
"That just shocks the conscious, and so regardless of statistics, with it being down, it just doesn't feel down," said Bettison.
Frank Blackman owns Pequeño Cantina on Detroit's Avenue of Fashion. Blackman says the downtown business sees significant foot traffic every day, so safety is a top priority.
"We have witnessed a little crime, but I think the city has been proactive and kind of eliminating some of the things, like crime scenes, shootings, burglaries and stuff like that," said Blackman.
When CBS News Detroit shared the numbers with Blackman, he pushed the city to reach out to other entrepreneurs for feedback.
"Businesses and neighborhoods are part of the community, right? Once the community have a place where they can say they feel safe, you know, people spend more money," said Blackman.
In a conversation with Bettison, CBS News Detroit pushed further, asking for tangible resources residents can look to for results.
Bettison says the department's focus on technology, including ShotSpotter, license plate readers and cameras, will continue their work.
Another potential addition: the use of drones.
"That's going to be the next big thing that's going to help us continue on and take it to the next level," said Bettison.
Moving forward, Bettison says the partnership between his team and community violence prevention groups is critical in maintaining the city's progress.
"It's a multi-layered approach, and we're going to make sure that we address the root causes of that in a holistic way," said Bettison.