Sheffield

Detroit officials announced Monday that summer crime fell significantly this year, bucking the typical seasonal trend of rising crime during warmer months. Homicides of juvenile victims dropped 89%, from nine last summer to one this summer, while nonfatal juvenile shootings fell 22%, overall homicides declined 25%, and auto theft dropped 17%.

Mayor Mary Sheffield and Police Chief Todd Bettison credited the improvements to a new community intervention strategy, including the "Occupy the Summer" initiative, which offered young people basketball leagues, extended recreation center hours, and access to support resources. Officials said the focus on youth engagement helped prevent "teen takeovers" from occurring.

Separately, the city issued a request for developers to build housing on vacant land in North Corktown, citing its proximity to Ford's Michigan Central campus and its selection for federal Choice Neighborhoods assistance.

Detroit recorded 42 homicides from June through August, down 25% from 56 a year earlier, while juvenile homicide victims fell from nine to one, an 89% decline, according to Detroit Police Department data released Monday. Overall Part 1 crime dropped 9% compared with summer 2025, with nonfatal shootings down 9.4%, carjackings down 34.6% and motor vehicle thefts down 17.2%. Sexual assaults were the only category to rise, up 5.8%.

Mayor Mary Sheffield and Police Chief Todd Bettison credited a mix of policing, violence intervention and youth programming, including the city's $1.5 million "Occupy the Summer" initiative that drew more than 15,000 participants. The declines extend a multi-year trend: summer homicides have fallen roughly 60% since 2022. Year-to-date through September, homicides are down 18% and juvenile homicide victims down 69%. Officials plan to continue the youth initiative next year and expand programming beyond summer months.

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield and Police Chief Todd Bettison announced at an Oct. 5 press conference that violent crime fell significantly over the summer. Part 1 violent crime dropped 9% from June to August 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, according to Detroit police data. Homicides fell 25%, from 56 to 42, while carjackings dropped 34.6%, from 26 to 17. Burglaries and motor vehicle thefts also saw double-digit declines. Juvenile homicide victims fell from nine to one; the lone case involved a 14-year-old killed in September, with a 15-year-old charged in connection with the shooting.

Sheffield credited the improvement in part to her "Occupy the Summer" initiative, launched after teen takeovers sparked spring violence. The program, costing about $1.5 million including city and donated funds, reached more than 15,000 youths through giveaways and events. Officials noted 2025 had already seen homicides drop below 200 for the first time in 60 years, with nonfatal shootings and carjackings also down sharply from 2024.

Detroit officials are pushing to maximize attendance ahead of the state's Oct. 7 Count Day, when one day's enrollment determines the bulk of school funding for the year. Mayor Mary Sheffield joined Detroit Public Schools Community District Superintendent Nikolai Vitti and charter leader Ralph Bland to promote the effort, noting that roughly 90% of district funding is tied to that day's attendance, with each counted student worth $10,300 this year.

To address chronic absenteeism, the city launched a pilot ride-share program using $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds, giving 150 students with the highest absentee rates free rides via LIFT to and from school. The program covers four high schools: Denby, East English Village Preparatory Academy, Osborn and Pershing. Families say the flexible transportation has helped students arrive on time and stay involved in after-school activities.

Statewide attendance rose slightly to 91.5% for 2025-26, while chronic absenteeism fell for a fourth straight year to 27.2%, though DPSCD's rate remains high at 60%, down from prior years.

Detroit is installing 210 new bus shelters and 200 benches across its transit system, with the work roughly halfway complete and slated to finish by next year. As of last year, only about 1 in 20 of the city's more than 5,000 bus stops had shelters, and just 1.5% had benches, according to BridgeDetroit. The project is funded through a combination of city, state and federal money.

Mayor Mary Sheffield, who campaigned on fixing Detroit's long-troubled bus system, said the effort responds directly to rider complaints, particularly from seniors who need places to sit while waiting. The upgrade follows other recent improvements, including new boarding platforms on Jefferson Avenue, higher pay for drivers and mechanics, and additional buses, though on-time performance still lags industry standards. The Detroit Department of Transportation is also set to receive new revenue after Wayne County voters approved a public transit millage in August.

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield declined to comment on whether police Chief Todd Bettison acted appropriately during a recorded August phone call with activist Jahdante Smith, citing an ongoing investigation by the city's Office of Inspector General, an independent oversight agency.

In the call, Bettison asked Smith to remove old social media photos showing Sheffield with her then-boyfriend, Marvin Walker. Bettison told Local 4 he made the request as a private citizen because of a personal relationship with Smith, not in his capacity as police chief. Smith disputed that framing, saying Bettison's authority as chief was inherent to the call and amounted to intimidation.

Asked directly whether she had requested anyone in her administration contact Bettison about the photos, and whether she had a personal reaction to them, Sheffield repeatedly declined to answer, saying she remains confident in Bettison's leadership and that crime rates continue to fall. The Inspector General's office says investigation details are confidential but will publish a full report once complete.

Detroit held multiple ceremonies Friday marking the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, honoring nearly 3,000 victims and the first responders who answered the call. A U.S. Department of Homeland Security event on the riverfront featured federal agents pinning ribbons to a wreath floated down the Detroit River, a helicopter flyover, and remarks from Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Jared Murphey, who recovered a stairwell exit sign from the North Tower while searching Ground Zero rubble. A separate afternoon ceremony at Campus Martius included honor guards from the Detroit police and fire departments.

Speakers included U.S. Rep. John James, U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon, Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield, and Detroit Fire Commissioner Charles Simms, who noted more than a dozen Detroit firefighters traveled to Ground Zero to assist in 2001. Gorgon warned that terrorism remains a present threat, citing recent attacks including one on a West Bloomfield synagogue. Murphey reflected on the unity felt after 9/11 that has since faded, while Sheffield said the attacks "did not break" the nation's resolve to support one another.