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Motor City Implements Proven "Broken Windows" Policing Strategy
In an effort to revive Detroit's neighborhoods, the Detroit Police Department has partnered with the Manhattan Institute to develop a long-range strategy to maintain order, reduce fear, prevent crime, and improve the
quality of life of its citizens.
Months after implementing a community policing pilot program, the Grandmont-Rosedale community is already noticing a significant drop in home invasions compared to the rest of Detroit. The preliminary results were
announced by the Detroit Police Department at a community meeting on the evening of Sept. 20.
Launched on June 4, the pilot program is focused on creating a collaborative approach between the Detroit Police Department and the community. The initiative was implemented by the Detroit Police Department in partnership
with the residents and business owners in the Grandmont-Rosedale community, the criminal courts, Wayne County Sheriff Department, Michigan Department of Corrections, the Greater Detroit Centers for Working Families, and the
Manhattan Institute for Policy Research with a shared purpose of preventing crime and keeping citizens safe.
In the first 120 days of the pilot program, there was a 32 percent reduction in home invasions in the pilot project area compared to a year ago. In contrast, there was an 8.5 percent decrease in home invasions throughout
the City of Detroit during the same period.
 These results were achieved at a time when violent crime has escalated in Detroit. The success of broken-windows
policing has demonstrated in New York City and Los Angeles that a holistic approach is necessary in order to reduce violent crime.
"These preliminary results are promising and demonstrate that if you increase the felt presence of the police and conduct proactive outreach, you can begin to prevent crime and restore order in communities," said George
Kelling.
In the 1980s, Kelling, along with the late James Q. Wilson, developed the innovative order maintenance policies that came be to be known as
"broken windows" policing, which ultimately led to radical crime reduction
in New York
City and Los Angeles. Broken-windows policing is now widely recognized as an effective approach to public safety, crime prevention, and crime intervention. A criminologist, Kelling has tweaked the 20-year old theory especially
for Motown.
The Grandmont-Rosedale community policing pilot program consists of three main components: a focus on individuals who commit home invasions; an increase in what is known as the "felt presence" of police by having officers
proactively engage citizens to fix Detroit's equivalent of "broken windows"; and leveraging the community as the eyes and ears to report suspicious/criminal activity.
The Detroit Police Department and Michigan Department of Corrections tracked their respective involvement in the pilot program—specifically, focusing on individuals who commit home invasions and increasing the felt presence
of police by having officers proactively engaging citizens.
"We are committed to making our city safe and these are very promising results," said Ralph L Godbee, Jr., police chief, City of Detroit. "Our approach of community policing responds to the needs of citizens with compassion,
commitment, and persistence."
In an effort to revive Detroit's neighborhoods, the Detroit Police Department partnered with the Manhattan Institute to develop a long-range strategy to maintain order, reduce fear, prevent crime, and improve the quality of
life of its citizens. While the results are promising, the initiative will continue as a pilot program redeploying existing resources and police will continue monitoring results throughout this period as a test for a larger
city-wide implementation in the future.
"This city has resilient residents and dedicated police who are starting to work together in new and effective ways to restore order and take back their communities. While it is still early, signs are clear that it is
working," said Michael Allegretti, director of the Manhattan Institute's Center for State and Local Leadership.
At no cost to the taxpayers of Detroit, the Manhattan Institute is funding an outreach team that is sharing its expertise in criminology and policy implementation. Kelling, the Institute's loaned executive to the
City of Detroit, and Michael Allegretti are currently conducting site visits as part of a collaboration with the Detroit Police Department that is scheduled to continue through late 2013. During these visits, Kelling and
Allegretti are working with the Detroit Police to assess challenges and needs in the community as well as to provide recommendations to the Detroit Public Safety Foundation on actions to further promote public safety.
The Manhattan Institute has long taken a special interest in cities and their citizens. Thriving cities are key to thriving regions and societies. The Manhattan Institute is proud to be closely associated with Compstat
and broken-windows policing, thanks to a close working relationship with former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani and former city police commissioner William Bratton, whose successors have effectively continued and refined
the policies.
IN THE NEWS:
- Ralph Godbee's good-bye -- yet another setback
for police improvements Detroit needs, Detroit Free Press, 10-08-12
- One Detroit neighborhood is fighting back on crime … and winning, The Detroit Hub, 9-25-12
- Detroit officials tout community policing effort, Detroit News, 9-21-12
- Godbee: Police must be aggressive, but fair, Detroit Free Press,
9-21-12
- Detroit Police: Home invasions in Grandmont-Rosedale down, myFOXDetroit, 9-20-12
- Program boasts 32% fewer home invasions in part of northwest Detroit,
- Detroit Free Press, 9-20-12
- Officials to discuss crime-fighting program, Wane.com (Associated Press), 9-20-12
- Crime Forum Gets Underway At Wayne State, CBS Detroit, 9-20-12
- Police officials to discuss results of
Detroit's 'Broken Windows' pilot crime-fighting program, WDIV (NBC), 9-20-12
- Officials to discuss crime-fighting program, WWMT (Associated Press), 9-20-12
- 29 murders end Detroit's violent summer, Detroit News, 9-20-12
- Do Good Detroit: Neighborhood Safety Meeting, Detroit Free Press's "Do Good Detroit, 9-19-12
- Detroit Police Chief Signs Order To Beef Up Reserve Force, Detroit News, 06-22-12
- From Broken Windows to Community Policing: The Legacy of James Q.
Wilson, Nonprofit Quarterly, 6-12-12
- Broken Windows Theory of Community Policing Will Get Major
Test in Detroit, Detroit Free Press, 5-24-12
- Detroit Community Policing Effort To Address Home Invasions With Pilot Program In Grandmont-Rosedale,
Huffington Post, 5-23-12
- 90-day pilot program in Detroit aims to curb home
invasions, Detroit Free Press, 5-23-12
- Detroit racks up eight killings, 33 shootings in last five days, Detroit News, 5-23-12
- Detroit Looks To Take 'Big Apple' Bite Out Of Crime, WWJ Newsradio 950 AM, 5-23-12
- A new community policing project could be the answer to
stopping the violence in Detroit, WXYZ ABC Ch. 7, 5-22-12 (Watch the segment)
- Community Policing Coming to the Motor City, WJBK FOX Ch. 2, 5-22-12
(Watch the segment)
- Detroit police chief says aim is to crack down on smaller crimes,
WDIV NBC Ch. 4, 5-22-12 (Watch the segment)
- Detroit Police to
Launch Crime Reduction Initiative Today Based On 'Broken Window' Theory, Detroit Free Press, 5-22-12
- Detroit Trying 'Broken Windows' Community Policing, Associated Press, 2-12-12
- Despite Drop in Crime, Detroit Homicides Up 12%, Detroit Free Press, 1-14-12
- Serious crimes down in Detroit, The Detroit News, 1-14-12
PRESS RELEASES:
For more information contact Kasia Zabawa at 646-839-3342 or at kzabawa@manhattan-institute.org. |
