Detroit Police Chief pledges help for high crime neighborhoods

Chief James Craig addresses increase in Detroit shootings

DETROIT – Police Chief James Craig says Detroit is the toughest city to be a police officer in.

He says work is underway to fight crime in those high crime neighborhoods.

For those people who live in those neighborhoods, they hope it works.

"I'm like Oh God. Again?" That's what goes through Tracey Marshall's mind when she hears gunshots in her West Side Detroit neighborhood.

"Sometimes it gets pretty noisy around two or three o'clock in the morning," she said.

Saturday night Chief James Craig made another pledge to people like Tracey that change is on the way.

Watch: Detroit's police chief looks to stem rise in violence

It comes after a recent rise in violence in the city that has some people living in fear.

"I don't go out at night," said Donald Carvin. "They'll get you."

Craig took charge in Detroit last month; returning to his hometown after working in police departments across the country.

Retired Detroit Police Lieutenant Roosevelt Lawrence lives in the city.

Lawrence worked at the department when Craig was an officer in Detroit.

He says the new chief doesn't have much time to convince Detroiters he's making a difference.

"I think it's a 90-day window. I think he knows that. We got a lot of other things going on in the city of Detroit. But I think a 90-day period is a good assessment time," said Lawrence.

Marshall says she doesn't know what Craig could do to make the city safer, "honestly, I don't know. I really don't. But I will just pray for him."

She believes if Craig succeeds, the community will too.