Detroit, Michigan, cut its murder rate down to a 60-year-low by simply ignoring liberal crime policies, holding criminals accountable and hiring more police, a report from the city showed.
The city recorded 228 homicides this year as of Nov. 30, marking an 18% drop compared to the same time last year, according to the report. Detroit hit its lowest homicide rate in 60 years back in 2018 when it recorded 261 homicides, meaning 2023 could soon make a new record, Detroit Free Press noted.
In order to make the historic moment happen, leaders simply did the obvious: Locked criminals up.
The city worked to reduce felony gun case backlogs in both the Wayne County Circuit and 36th District courts and increased staff at its police department, sheriff’s department and county prosecutor’s office, according to the report. Detroit also created a FAST unit, which worked to apprehend fugitives, and managed to nab 1,000 individuals who had outstanding felony warrants.
Detroit on pace for fewest homicides since 1966; officials credit this program https://t.co/ldlyIvKN4y
via @GeorgeHunter_DN & @detroitnews
— Chad Livengood (@ChadLivengood) December 5, 2023
Felony gun cases have been backlogged in the courts, though authorities managed to decrease the backlog from 4,000 in January of 2022 to 1,330 in November, a 67% reduction from 2022, the report said. (RELATED: ‘Love You, Mom’: Mother Says 14-Year-Old Son Won Basketball Game, Then Was Fatally Stabbed)
The 36th District court saw more than 2,000 pretrial felony gun cases pending in January of 2022, according to the report. A November review shows the backlog had dropped 80%, with just 415 cases on backlog.
“Leadership, teamwork and a commitment to the community were key components of this initiative,” Wayne County Executive Warren Evans said in the report. “Our data shows that 50 fewer Detroit’s will lose their lives to gun violence in 2023 and 100 fewer will suffer gunshot injuries.”
The coalition made “significant progress” and the community “will continue to benefit by the work that has been done,” 26th District Court Chief Judge William McConico said in the report.
The coalition of government agencies created began in 2021 following a deadly period stemming in part from the pandemic, according to the Detroit Free Press. The agencies reportedly received $2.5 million in state funding in 2021 and $12.5 million in 2023 to increase their public safety initiatives.
Authorities, however, are now focused on reducing individual precinct violence. Although overall homicides are down for Detroit, they’ve increased in Detroit’s 2nd, 4th and 5th precincts, the Detroit Free Press reported.