Photo: Junfu Han ~ USA TODAY NETWORK
April 20, 2023 ~ Detroit officials are enacting several measures to curb gun violence in the city.
Following a rash of shootings last weekend that left two people dead and more injured, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Detroit Police Chief James White announced Thursday a plan to increase policing and security in certain Detroit areas. This followed an announcement Wednesday of a partnership between government and community leaders for violence prevention and criminal rehabilitation.
White told 760 WJR’s Paul W. Smith that the violence seen last weekend is not unique to Detroit and that the increased availability of firearms across the nation is escalating the number of deadly outcomes to occurrences of anger and rage.
“It is like there is a loss of self-regulation,” White said to Paul W. “We blame COVID-19 for everything, and some point to the fact that a year of isolation triggered some emotions for people that we did not anticipate.”
PODCAST:
April 24, 2023 ~ Detroit Police Chief James White talks to Paul W. about the City of Detroit‘s new 12-point plan to combat violence and he says shootings in Downtown Detroit and around the city will not be tolerated.
(CONTINUED) White added that arrests have been made in connection with some of the shootings.
The 12-point plan announced last week includes more undercover officers in the streets to respond to potentially dangerous disputes, more road closures, stronger enforcement of youth curfews and alcohol ordinances, and installation of metal detectors to deter people from bringing illegal guns to downtown.
“People are turning to violence all too quickly,” White said. “Millions of guns were sold during (the COVID-19 pandemic). You have to wonder if that emboldens people. I do not know if they are in the wrong hands, (but) when you have millions of guns sold in our country, you have to have even more responsibility with them.”
Along with increased policing, there is the One Detroit partnership between city officials, federal prosecutors, city law enforcement, and community leaders. This partnership will focus on preventing gun violence before it happens, intervening when it does, and helping incarcerated people renter life outside of prison.
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