Detroit Project Safe Neighborhood

Detroit has made considerable progress in proactively addressing violent crime over the last few years through highly focused enforcement and prevention built upon a collaborative working group of strong law enforcement partnerships involving the Detroit Police Department, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, the Michigan Department of Corrections, the U.S. Attorney’s Office-Eastern District of Michigan and Research Partner Michigan State University. However, the quick onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 resulted in considerably decreased operational capacity for the multiple targeted enforcement and community outreach efforts that are focused on Detroit’s gun violence hotspots, not only sustaining but increasing the need for additional resources and intervention. This project will leverage these partnerships to address the persistently increasing gun violence in a select area of Detroit’s 9th Precinct with the overall goal of reversing this trend. Through an evidence-based and data-driven approach, the PSN Task Force will conduct undercover operations and intelligence gathering, working collaboratively across all components of street enforcement, prosecution, and supervision. Following PSN enforcement operations, the Ceasefire Detroit Outreach team and its community partners will conduct targeted outreach in the area to “fill the gap” in the neighborhood left by the removal of previously prominent drivers of violence. This outreach effort and provision of “wrap-around services” to community members affected by gun violence adds an important component to Detroit’s PSN approach. These street outreach efforts have already been utilized throughout Detroit to strengthen the community in meaningful ways and help end the cycle of violence in the area. By focusing on Detroit’s most prominent hotspot for gun violence, Detroit PSN has the opportunity to greatly improve the quality of life for the residents of Detroit’s neighborhood most intensely affected by gun violence.