In an effort to get ahead of what has become a troubling trend of violent incidents rising with the warming temperatures, Detroit officials said they are implementing proactive crime reduction tactics to prevent issues like accidental gun deaths, drifting, drag racing and more across the city’s neighborhoods this summer.
Mayor Mary Sheffield, alongside Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison and other officials, announced a six-point plan Thursday, April 16 at the Detroit Public Safety Headquarters that has already kicked off, with some initiatives rolling out later this season.
“As we head into the summer months — and as we know, the temperature will be breaking and we know that we can expect warmer weather — this administration is being intentional about staying ahead with a strategy that is rooted in prevention, intervention and enforcement,” Sheffield said. “This plan is about being proactive. It’s about collaboration, and it’s about making sure every Detroiter feels safe in their neighborhoods and in their home.”
Part of the effort includes distributing about 2,000 gun locks — free of charge — to households across the city.
“It was too often that we stood right there at the scene of a tragedy that didn’t have to happen: A child, natural curiosity and an unsecured weapon,” said Chevonne Wilson, community relations manager at DPD. “We cannot just accept that this is the inevitable, because it’s not.”
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The plan, according to officials, also includes neighborhood teams to address block-level crime; enforcement at establishments with after-hours activity; block party, crowd control and curfew enforcement; addressing conflicts before they escalate in neighborhoods; and engaging youth to identify spaces and events for them.
“We will increase our police presence to ensure our citizens have a safe summer. Our police officers are the best and they are all geared up for the summer. What does that mean? Drag racing and drifting enforcement: We know it’s that time of the year, where individuals bring out their cars and that activity will start to occur again. Our officers will be on the streets. This is dangerous activity — and let me emphasize — will not be tolerated in the city of Detroit,” Bettison said, adding DPD is prepared to shut down related activity.
Breakdown of the plan:
- Safe storage and gun safety campaign: the city will give away nearly 2,000 gun locks to gun owners who need one, free of charge. Half of the locks will be provided by the Detroit Public Safety Foundation through a grant from Henry Ford Project Child Safety. It will also include a social media campaign to lead engagement across the city. The Sheffield administration will also do community outreach with families and youth through various organizations.
- Neighborhood Safety Action teams: these teams will help identify and address block-level crime, including locations that have attracted blight and unwanted activities. Staffers from multiple city departments will conduct weekly walks in those targeted locations to assess the area, then determine whether increased patrol, updated lighting and other environmental issues and repairs are needed. Residents can also recommend high-risk locations that need attention.
- After-hours venue engagement and enforcement: DPD and the Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental Department will identify problematic locations with the highest rates of police runs, code violations and complaints. Officials will work with organizations to develop plans to improve security and lighting, and increase enforcement at the establishments with high resident complaints. The city will close the establishment if issues go unaddressed.
- BSEED Director David Bell said one of the biggest concerns his office hears is the impact of unlicensed after-hours activity in neighborhoods and urges them to understand city rules early on to operate legally and safely. Bell added that at times, these activities are “disrupting sleep, creating unsafe conditions and undermining the peace their families deserve. Let me be clear, we want to work with the businesses, not against them. Most businesses in the city are trying to do the right thing. They’re investing in Detroit, they’re creating jobs, and they’re part of the community.”
- DPD Safe Summer Strategy: DPD will focus on block party safety, crowd control, heighten presence at parks and recreational centers, drag racing and drifting. DPD will also enforce curfews — 10 p.m. for 15 and under, and 11 p.m. for ages 16 and 17 — and detain anyone who violates the law, and potentially issue Parental Responsibility tickets of $250 for the first offense and $500 for following offenses.
- Bettison urges parents to know where their children are. “Back in the day, there used to be a commercial that said, ‘The street lights are on, do you know where your children are?’ We need you to assist us as well.”
- Conflict Resolution and Restorative Practices Task Force: Rolling out later this summer, the task force — including city department heads, Community Violence Intervention groups and behavioral health professionals — will implement strategies to address conflicts in neighborhoods before they escalate. Teferi Brent, director of the city’s new Neighborhood and Community Safety office, said “safety requires addressing the conditions that produce conflict, not just responding after the fact.”
- Youth engagement: Following a meeting with teenagers after crowds repeatedly organized so-called “downtown takeovers,” Sheffield developed a partnership with at least 50 of Detroit’s youth to listen to their needs and ideas for safe spaces. Sheffield is currently working on a youth-centered event, which would run from 5-9 p.m. at Hart Plaza, featuring DJs, basketball courts, games and more. In May, Sheffield will announce plans for her “Occupy the Summer” event, which will include expanded recreation center hours until 11 p.m., the return of “Midnight Basketball” and other activities.
Dana Afana is the Detroit city hall reporter for the Free Press. Contact: dafana@freepress.com. Follow her: @DanaAfana.