Detroit Project Safe Neighborhoods

Consistent with national trends, gun violence in the city of Detroit increased precipitously in 2020, as the country was faced with COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns and nationwide protests over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN.  While the number of fatal and non-fatal shootings in the city of Detroit in 2022 (n = 1,230) is below its recent peak in 2020 (n = 1,479), gun violence remains at levels that substantially outpace pre-COVID-19 figures (2019 fatal and non-fatal shootings = 997).

The proposed project will focus on the 12 square miles in Detroit Police Department’s 9th Precinct, where gun violence has increased by 41% since 2019.  This represents a doubling of scope versus prior Project Safe Neighborhood (“PSN”) projects.  Multiple factors influence the persistence of gun violence in this particular area, including, but not limited to high-profile gang activity.

PSN task force partners will include the Detroit Police Department (“DPD”), the Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (“WCPO”), the Michigan Department of Corrections (“MDOC”) and Michigan State University (“MSU”).  The funds from this opportunity will primarily be used to fund data-driven, targeted enforcement operations on known individuals and locations within the target area,  Following enforcement that involves at-risk youth, the 9th Precinct Non-Fatal Shooting team will connect these individuals with a dedicated youth mental health practitioner who will provide follow-up and mental health services to the high-risk youth and their families. Detroit has made considerable progress in proactively addressing violent crime over the past few years through these partnerships and strategies.  Pre-pandemic, similar actions in the 8th Precinct resulted in a 30% decline in fatal and non-fatal shootings.