Detroiters speak out after city reports historic drop in violent crimes
(CBS DETROIT)—According to the city of Detroit, homicides dropped 19% from 2024 to the previous year. Officials said this is part of a larger trend of lower crime across the board.
"The change in this community in just a few years has been very special," said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.
Duggan and interim Police Chief Todd Bettison began 2025 by announcing that the city had 203 homicides in 2024, the fewest since 1965. Duggan credits a coordinated partnership between government and community agencies for the drops in all crime.
Detroiters, like Sandra Turner-Handy, the founder of the Denby Neighborhood Alliance, said they can feel the difference.
"We now, after over 26 years of me living in this community, see a reduction in fatal, non-fatal shootings and also in other violent crimes in our communities," Turner-Handy told CBS News Detroit. "What it really means is that whatever we're doing in the city right now is working, and we need to build upon that."
Other residents say the reduction in violence has changed Detroit's reputation.
"Detroit was not a place to hang around in and wasn't really safe," said Judy Hyslop, from Clarkston.
Kady King from Detroit said, "I hope it has died down a lot, that's all I can wish for. I hope it's a lot better than what it used to be like here back in the day."
In 2024, the city experienced a 7% drop in violent crime, like homicide, sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault, while property crimes, like burglary, larceny, and auto theft, declined 3%.
