'Operation Inside Out' Puts More Police On Detroit Streets
DETROIT (WWJ) - Detroit Mayor Dave Bing is frustrated by what he's seeing on the crime blotter and hopes a new effort to put more officers on the streets will help curtail the crime.
Detroit is on pace to hit the highest per capita murder rate not seen in a decade. In the last year alone, the city's homicide rate increased 15 percent.
"I just don't understand. I don't think any of us understand the mentality and the culture of some of the people who are committing some of these crimes. It's worse than anything I've ever seen in my 45 years in Detroit," Bing said.
The mayor hopes a new program launched this week called "Operation Inside Out" will have an impact. The program takes administrative personnel out of the office and puts them on patrol for eight hours a week, with special attention on businesses and gas stations.
"I think it will help, no doubt about it. It will help us get another 40 of 50 police officers on the street," Bing said.
Assistant Detroit Police Chief Chester Logan said some of the added patrols will be on foot and some will be in police cruisers.
"We want to let citizens know that we're out here, we're serious and we're not going away," Logan said. "The negative element needs to be aware that they're going to have to comply with the law. But, more importantly, we need the citizens of this area to understand that we're here and we're going to do all we can to bring some resolution to their problems."
