DETROIT (WWJ) — A University of Michigan evaluation shows Detroit experienced a 45% decrease in homicides and non-fatal shootings during a three-year period following the launch of its ShotStoppers program.
The initiative equips community-based groups to intervene and de-escalate violent situations separate from law enforcement response.
ShotStoppers operates differently from ShotSpotter, the city's gunshot detection system now known as SoundThinking. Launched in 2023, the program funds Community Violence Intervention (CVI) teams to work within designated 3-to-5-square-mile CVI zones that have historically experienced high levels of gun violence.
According to the analysis by U-M’s Poverty Solutions, CVI zones saw a 33% drop in homicides and a 38% drop in non-fatal shootings between August 2024 and July 2025, compared to the previous 12 months. Across the rest of the city, homicides fell by 12% and non-fatal shootings dropped by 26% during the same timeframe.
Researchers noted that while the evaluation cannot show a definitive link between the program and the overall reductions, the trend remains promising.
The city provides each CVI team with $175,000 in quarterly base funding, with the opportunity to earn up to an additional $175,000 per quarter in performance-based bonuses for reducing gun violence victimizations at a rate higher than the citywide average.
Participating organizations currently include Detroit 300, Detroit Friends & Family, Detroit People's Community, Force Detroit, Live in Peace, New Era Community Connection, and Team Pursuit.
From 2023 to 2025, Detroit invested $11 million of its American Rescue Plan Act funds into the program.
The study found CVI teams rely heavily on local residents with lived experience with gun violence to build trust and execute two primary strategies: direct interventions with high-risk individuals and broader community engagement.
Following its two-year run as a pilot project, ShotStoppers has been permanently integrated into city government under the new Mayor's Office of Neighborhood and Community Safety, backed by city and state funding.
Poverty Solutions recommended that the city continue institutionalizing CVI within local government, refine performance metrics for low-incident zones, and incentivize broader community engagement. City officials indicate they are already working to incorporate these adjustments.
