Mayor Duggan, Police Chief White tout Detroit crime rate decrease during community meeting

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Police Chief James White touted a drop in crime rates during a community meeting Monday.

Read More: Detroit crime decreases in 2021

During the charter-mandated meeting, Duggan credited White, who took over the Detroit Police Department in June 2021, with the decrease. Earlier this month, White said the numbers were encouraging but were still too high to celebrate.

According to Assistant Chief David LeValley, the first five months of 2021 showed 23 more homicides than in that same period in 2020. There were also 118 more non-fatal shootings in that same time period compared to 2020.

But the year ended with 14 fewer homicides and 105 fewer non-fatal shootings. 

Still, the leaders say White's proactive approach to crime appears to be working.

"We put together a five-point plan that included crowd management, code enforcement, police presence, old fashion police presence on patrol, being in the neighborhoods, in the community, noise enforcement, traffic enforcement, and community engagement" White said. 

White said one of his goals is to hire more officers and put them where they are needed most.

"I get two calls, two primary calls since I’ve been back – speeding and drag racing are kind of lumped together, and gunshots in my neighborhood," he said.