Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Detroit police chief reports big drops in homicides, outlines youth and parks strategies
Summary
In a confirmation interview before the City Council internal-operations committee, Police Chief Bettison said homicides fell to 165 last year (a 20% drop from 2024 and about 50% since 2020) and described expanded community violence interventions, park enforcement plans and curfew measures to reduce juvenile shootings.
Chief Bettison told the council that the Detroit Police Department ended the year with 165 homicides, down about 20% from 2024 and roughly 50% since 2020. “We came in at 202 [historic low]… we actually ended the year with 165,” he said, and added that department investments and interagency collaboration have produced declines across violent- and property-crime categories.
Bettison credited expanded community violence intervention (CVI) work and partnerships with state, county and federal officials for the improvements. He said the department widened area coverage for community outreach, started enforcing a parental-responsibility fee tied to curfew enforcement, and increased efforts aimed specifically at young people, including an expanded CBI program and a summer outreach league. “We know that’s working,” Bettison said of the CVI and related programs.
Council members pressed Bettison on quality-of-life enforcement in parks and neighborhood safety. Bettison committed to a dedicated park detail and to coordinate targeted enforcement and educational efforts with precinct commanders and community partners. He also said the department removes about 300 abandoned cars a week from private property as part of broader blight and quality-of-life efforts.
On juvenile violence, Bettison acknowledged a summer uptick that included shootings of young children and said the department is prioritizing preventative investments and metrics-driven accountability for contractors and programs. He described several initiatives—expanded community outreach, youth sports leagues, and nurse-navigation programs tied to emergency medical responses—that he said will free patrol resources and improve outcomes in the long run.
Council members thanked Bettison for the department’s community engagement focus and for the staffing and training improvements he described during the interview. The committee recessed following the exchange to continue scheduled interviews.
