Force Detroit community group credited for drop in crime in Cody Rouge neighborhood

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Terence Hampton has a lot to celebrate as a violence interrupter with the community group Force Detroit.

His group's efforts are being hailed as one of the reasons for a noticeable reduction in crime in one of the city's toughest neighborhoods.

"Man, it feels great. It feels great," he said. "There’s nothing bigger than community to us. At Force Detroit we value community."

The City of Detroit says homicides and non-fatal shootings have dropped in the Cody Rouge neighborhood about 72 percent, where the numbers were among the highest.

"We use our relationships that we build here in community - to help deescalate situations before - or after - something has already occurred," Hampton said.

Force Detroit is one of the groups that earned a $175,000 performance grant from the city’s ShotStoppers initiative.

It involves doing the work that can only come from having once lived the life.

"I’m passionate about this because I once, was them," he said. "I come from a life of violence. Now I’ve changed my life completely around.

"We’re here in community. I buy houses and reinvest, and fix things up."

Investing in the very neighborhoods he and Force Detroit are working to improve. And it dovetails with the city-wide work Detroit police have done.

DPD ended 2023 with the fewest murders in 57 years. That, along with double-digit drops in shootings and carjackings because of partnerships with city, county, state, federal and community teams, working together.

"Chief (James) White often says we have some amazing partnerships and one of the greatest partners that we have, is this community," said DPD Assistant Chief Franklin Hayes. "So to see community groups organize and work together - because they are sick and tired of the violence, too.

"For them to come together with these results, it is extremely promising."

As for the Cody Rouge community, it’s where Hampton met the love of his life - and now life, is about love of the neighborhood.

"You can change," he said. "A lot of people might not see it at the moment, but you can change. it just takes time and a little love."

To learn more about Detroit's ShotStoppers program, go HERE.

Terence Hampton of Force Detroit