Detroit (WWJ/AP) -- Detroit's homicide rate is down about 10 percent in the third quarter of 2009, according to Mayor David Bing. Detroit is reporting 296 homicides so far this year, compared to 375 through all of 2008.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Bing said 96 homicides were committed between July and September compared to 125 from April through June.
Detroit Police Chief Warren Evans said that this drop came during the time in which homicides usually go up in the year. This is short term, but significant news said Evans.
He also noted an increasing in the number of homicides solved. “Our closure rate in criminal homicides was about 60 percent. That's the national average. Contrast that with the two previous quarters when it never got to 30 percent,” Evans said.
Evans said he's pleased to see that many residents are doing away with the "don't snitch" policy in giving police information, noting an increase in citizen tips and voluntary turn-ins.
“What we're trying to do is get them to feel us. And one of the ways you do that is to get out and engage them. And over the last four months I've spent at least two nights every week, in the street meeting those people,” Evans said.
Speaking of the recent rape of a Finney High School student as she was walking to school, Mayor Bing said it's clear that there is still much work to be done in striving to keeping Detroit's citizens safe.
“We can't continue to tolerate crime, particularly when our young people are the victims. While an arrest has been made in that case, we need to focus more on preventing crimes instead of reacting to the criminals after the fact,” Bing said.
Since taking over as police chief in July, Warren Evans has added officers to gang enforcement to deter weapons offenses and is using data to focus on areas in the city where crime is increasing.
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