FLINT, MI -- Twenty-one homicides are in the books at the Flint Police Department from the first five months of 2015 following a 10-year low for killings in 2014.

Another man, Raymond Lamar Buggs, was found dead on Kellar Avenue in April, but his death has not been ruled a homicide.

At an average of about one killing each week this year, that puts the city on track for a 52-homicide year.

"It's going to be my job to make sure that doesn't happen," Flint police Chief James Tolbert said.

In 2014, there were 30 killings -- one was ruled justified -- in the city all year.

"It's relative. Homicides are relative, simply because it depends on what's going on. So, the perception that it's the Wild, Wild West and everybody's getting killed -- that's not the case," Tolbert said. "No one deserves to be killed, but the probability of harm coming to you if you're engaged in illegal activity is higher than if you're not engaged in illegal activity."

"As the chief, I have to take responsibility for when the numbers go down and I have to take responsibility for when the numbers go up. That's my responsibility. That's on my shoulders."

While the rate at which homicides are happening this year has him concerned, Tolbert said, overall, "part one crimes" are down 17 percent from 2014.

Part one crimes include homicide, rape, larceny, burglary and arson.

"Don't take just our homicide count and apply that to our whole crime picture. A 17 percent reduction means we're doing some things right," Tolbert said.

Flint Mayor Dayne Walling said he's hopeful that Flint's crime rate, including homicides, will go down, given the overall decrease in part one crimes.

"I am troubled by every homicide and violent crime that takes place in Flint. It is encouraging that the overall violent crime rate is going down," he said.

Jeffrey Osborn, the brother of Daneka Michelle "Shelly" Miller, who was found killed in her Forest Hill Avenue home May 4, expressed ambivalence about the rise in homicides and the drop in other serious crimes.

"I don't worry as much about those other crimes ... I do worry about my family being killed," he said, adding that he'd feel safest if homicides were down, even if other part one crimes were up. "Homicides should be more important than everything else."

But one thing that did make Osborn feel safer in Flint, he said, is how fast police acted in arresting a suspect in his sister's death.

"It made me feel like the police do care about the people in the city and the murders and deaths," he said.

Although serious crimes have declined overall, Tolbert said upcoming summer months are a concern for the department because that's when the crime rate spikes.

"Summer is a time when crime increases because you have more people outside, and more people interacting, and more chances for tempers to flare and disagreements to occur. So, absolutely I'm concerned, but I'm not a guy that says, 'I can't do.' I have to do something," Tolbert said.

Tolbert said the department is always looking for ways to meet community needs and reduce crime.

He began meeting with local business owners to hear their concerns, and now the department is looking to change city ordinances to address some issues store owners face regarding crime.

"We are looking at some ordinance changes where we can address loitering and trespassing issues so the burden is not so much on the business owner, and the police can kind of assist and make sure we can take care of problem," Tolbert said.

Ordinance changes that prevent loitering should reduce the opportunity people have to commit crimes, and will help citizens feel safe going to some stores again, Tolbert said.

Also, after meetings to discuss prom safety, plans are now in the works to meet with the city's teens on a regular basis as a type of youth town hall, Tolbert said. He is also recruiting teens to create a youth panel that will regularly communicate with police about their concerns.

"We can have an ongoing dialogue, because if you have that dialogue, that ongoing communication, you don't have a Ferguson. You don't have a Baltimore," Tolbert said, adding that working with the community on a regular basis should help build trust. "You don't have that unrest because you've addressed that issue on the front end. You have that trust now. You're not saying, 'Trust me.' You're saying, 'You've been trusting me, I need you to continue trusting me.' You're not trying to get it just because something happens."

To further reduce crime and handle the high volume of calls Flint police get daily, the department will continue working with the Michigan State Police, Tolbert said.

"They are a big reason that we see that (17 percent) decline also. Not to take anything away from the men and women of the police department, but because of our high call volume, a lot of times, we're going from call to call," Tolbert said. "They can handle more of the directed patrols and look at those hot spot areas and concentrate efforts in those areas and have that high visibility."

Walling said he believes if more citizens continue to speak up and cooperate with police, crime rates will dwindle.

"I know the community is sick of the violence, and if more and more people step up, then the crime rate will continue to go down," he said.

Ideally, Tolbert would like to see more citizens involved with programs at the Flint Police Department, like the Citizens Radio Patrol, that has citizens working with police to stop crime before it happens.

"At the end of the day, what I need, what I really, really need, is not to have calls for service so I can do more proactive work," Tolbert said. "If can eliminate crime on the front end, I don't have to respond to it on the back end."

For more information on the Citizens Radio Patrol or other ways to get involved, call the Flint Police Department at 810-237-6800.