DETROIT (WWJ) -- Detroit city leaders, alongside the police chief and state and federal law enforcement agencies, are touting a major drop in violent crime in Detroit.
Statistics for the first nine months of the year show there were 23 fewer murders and 103 fewer non-fatal shootings this year compared with 2024, officials said at a news conference Monday.
While Vice President JD Vance recently offered to send the National Guard to help fight crime in Detroit, Mayor Mike Duggan says that isn't needed here.
"Had you deployed the National Guard — again, in this city you're talking about 144 square miles — I doubt anybody would've had the National Guard at 7:30 on a Monday morning at Littlefield and West Chicago. That's not a practical way to do it," Duggan said. "But I can assure you that right now our CVI (Community Violence Intervention) groups are figuring out who might be looking to retaliate against somebody, and intervening."
[The intersection referenced by the mayor was the sight of a deadly shooting Monday in which one teen was killed and another was critically wounded. Police are still investigating that case.]
Duggan said police departments from across the country are coming to Detroit to see what strategies are in place to reduce crime.
While he doesn't think the National Guard would be helpful, the mayor said he would welcome more federal agents backing up Detroit Police at crime scenes.
Another stat highlighted by leaders on Monday: Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison said great progress has also been made reducing carjackings.
In 2013, Mayor Duggan said there were "15 carjackings a week in this city, and now we're down to less than two."
Duggan said the overall crime reduction did take some time, and is an ongoing effort. "This is a change in a culture of accountability that happens over a period of years," the mayor said.
Officials acknowledge while a drop in crime in a certainly good thing, one life impacted by crime is still one too many.
[Listen to the full news conference here]
Detroiters are urged to call 911 during emergencies, or report crimes that have already occurred to the DPD's non-emergency number at 313-267-4600.