Homicides Up 24 Percent, But Overall Crime Down In Detroit
DETROIT (WWJ) - The numbers for crime in Detroit are in for the third quarter of this year.
Overall crime is down, with the number of assaults, burglaries, larsonies and robberies all decreasing from this time last year.
But homicides are up about 24 percent. There were 301 homicides in the city as of Sunday, 97 of those in the third quarter. Homicides in the first quarter of the year were also up, about 12 percent.
Still, Police Chief Ralph Godbee points to a silver lining, saying more of those homicides are being solved. In August alone, the department solved six homicide cases in two weeks after one of the deadliest weekends in the city's history.
"We have a no-snitch mentality that I think we have done a tremendous job on turning the corner on. But we still have work to do," said Godbee.
In his announcement Monday night, Godbee also mentioned a new tool Detroit Police Officers are carrying.
It's a new kind of baton that's a thinner, lightweight aluminum version of its predecessor. Godbee said the baton is brutal when used -- adding that doesn't mean officers are using excessive force.
To help combat crime and catch offenders, Godbee was also pushing for gunshot sensors throughout the city to alert officers when a weapon is fired, but that was rejected by Detroit council members who weren't convinced it would deter crime.
