A Critical Juncture for Detroit’s Community Violence Intervention Efforts

The ShotStoppers program has become a lifeline for neighborhoods too often defined by crime and despair. What started in 2023 as a $10 million initiative funded by federal pandemic relief dollars has produced a clear, measurable reduction in violent crime. Community organizations, working directly with those most at risk, have driven down non-fatal shootings and homicides in ways that city-led approaches alone had not achieved. But as 2025 begins, the program’s future hangs in the balance, jeopardized by political inaction and shifting legislative priorities. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan lauded the efforts of ShotStoppers during a recent press conference, linking the initiative to a 19% drop in criminal homicides and a 25% decline in non-fatal shootings in 2024. These reductions, while noteworthy, come with a stark reminder: Detroit’s population today is far smaller than it was in 1965, the last time homicides were this low. The progress underscores the importance of maintaining momentum, but without secure funding, that progress could unravel. A bill that aimed to create a long-term public safety trust fund failed to pass in Michigan’s Democrat-led Legislature last year. Duggan expressed cautious optimism, citing Republican House Speaker Matt Hall’s apparent support for revisiting the proposal. But others, like...