Detroit saw more homicides, fewer rapes, and 300 new officers in 2019

The city of Detroit has consistently seen overall crime drop over the last several years, though 2019 was still full of bloodshed as the number of killings and shootings went up in the city — an increase that police attributed mainly to arguments and gang violence.

While the number of violent crimes dropped by 4% in Detroit last year, the number of homicides increased by 5%, from 261 killings in 2018 to 273 in 2019. At the same time, however, the city saw fewer carjackings and rapes, and the police department hired 304 new officers — that's a 72% increase in new hires from the year before.

"We certainly aren't waving a flag of success, as some categories saw an uptick in crime," Detroit Police Chief James Craig said in announcing the year-end crime data. "But we will continue our efforts in working to reduce crime in our city. ..."

Craig stressed: "While one crime is always too many, we are continuing to move in the right direction."

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According to crime figures released Friday, Detroit has seen a 17% drop in overall crime over the last five years. Here's what it saw in 2019, compared with the year before:

12% decrease in rapes, which dropped from 988 to 866.

5% decrease in aggravated assaults, which dropped from 9,920 to 9,467

21% decrease in carjackings, which dropped from 306 to 244.

Comparatively, these are the crimes that went up in Detroit between 2018-19:

5% increase in homicides, which increased from 261 to 273

2% increase in nonfatal shootings, which increased from 753 to 767

1% increase in robberies, which increased from 2,309 to 2,337.

According to Chief Craig, arguments were the leading motive for both homicides and nonfatal shootings as they attributed to about a third of those crimes. A recent wave in gang violence alsowas a contributing factor, he said, noting that at the end of November, police identified four groups who were responsible for 10 violent incidents.

But police made some progress on the front, Craig said, adding that police made 12 arrests following those incidents, confiscated seven guns and negotiated a truce between some gangs in the 10th Precinct.

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Craig also released crime stats that showed overall crime has been on a decline in Detroit over the last five years. Here are statistics from 2015-2019:

7% drop in homicides, which fell from 295 to 273.

35% drop in robberies, which fell from 3,648 to 2,337

26% drop in nonfatal shootings, which fell from 1,034 to 767

53% drop in carjackings, which fell from 523 to 244

16% drop in total violent crime, which fell from 15,430 to 12,943

Car thefts also went down, from 8,035 in 2015 to 6,904 in 2019.

Craig credited several programs for the decline in crime, including the Ceasefire program and Project Green Light Detroit. He also praised a new initiative called Operation Relentless Pursuit, a partnership between

the Detroit Police and federal law enforcement that aims to combat violent crime in major cities across the country.

“I think it is critically important that we join together as one and we are going to stop this violence,” Craig said. “This partnership further affirms the commitment to ensuring success in our communities, and we are ready to continue our efforts in the years to come to make Detroit safer for everyone.”

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Contact Tresa Baldas: tbaldas@freepress.com