DETROIT – On Monday, Local 4 got a look at how the Detroit Police Department plans to reduce crime in the new year.
Newly-released numbers from 2022 show rapes and robberies are down, but murders and carjackings are up.
“We are proud of those reductions, but we are certainly not bragging,” said Detroit police Chief James White.
An increase of one homicide in 2022 compared to the year prior has increased from 308 murders to 309 in Detroit.
“When you’re talking 300 homicides, one is too many, but 300 is certainly a significant number in our community,” White said.
One area with the most significant reduction was sexual assaults which fell from 818 in 2021 to 697 last year.
“We’re seeing teenagers as young as 14 to 15 emerge in violent crime, and it appears to be driven in large part by beefs and conflicts over social media,” White said.
White says crimes involving young people are up significantly, including in the first week of this year.
“You can look at those metrics and say, ‘What did the department do to impact those numbers,’” White said. “I think it’s proactive policing, engagement, reducing opportunities for violence, and getting those weapons off the street.”
There were 105 fewer non-fatal shootings last year compared to the year prior. Aggravated assaults were down 11%, and robberies were down 7%.
White said more progress could be made.