DETROIT (WWJ) – Last year Detroit recorded the fewest number of murders the city has seen in nearly 60 years.
But Police Chief James White says there’s “still work to do,” despite seeing the number of homicides across the city fall from 309 to 252 over the last year. That’s the lowest that number has been since 1966, according to Detroit police.
“We’re certainly not patting ourselves on the back,” White said at a press conference Wednesday detailing the department’s year-end crime stats.
“I think we all agree that it is entirely too violent in our communities,” White said, noting too many kids are getting their hands on guns and harming themselves or others.
Mayor Mike Duggan applauded the department’s approach to crime in 2023, which included raises for police officers, hiring and deploying more staff, and partnering with community groups across the city.
“Fifty-seven fewer homicides than the year before. That’s not a statistic. That’s 57 human beings who are safe,” Duggan said Wednesday.
Overall, violent crimes throughout saw a slight decline last year, officials said. Non-fatal shootings dropped 15% from nearly 1,000 in 2022, while carjackings plummeted more than 30%, according to the department.
Duggan called the drop in carjacking numbers “nothing short of remarkable,” as 167 were reported throughout 2023, nearly 90 fewer than the year prior.