One Detroit Partnership Announces the 3rd Annual Unified Summer Enforcement, Prevention, and Reentry Strategy Targeting Designated High Crime Areas in Detroit

DETROIT – Today, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison, along with Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney Kym Worthy, and Detroit Police Chief James E. White, announced the third annual Summer Surge, a targeted strategy aimed at reducing gun violence in Detroit. The Surge, which is a product of the continuing collaboration of the One Detroit partnership, will focus on Detroit’s 8^th and 9^th Precincts—the precincts with the highest rates of violence in the city. And this year, the One Detroit partners will also concentrate on Detroit’s public spaces to ensure they are safe.  One Detroit is an ongoing coalition of community and law enforcement partners working together to develop and execute the best strategies to reduce violent crime through enforcement, prevention, and reentry.   

Joining in the announcement were Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division, Special Agent in Charge James Deir, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Special Agent in Charge Orville Greene, Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Division, Beverly Smith, Assistant Deputy Director, Operations Office, Michigan Department of Corrections, Bishop Edgar Vann, II, Second Ebenezer Church, Alvin Stokes, President, Citywide Citizens Police Community Relations, Quincy Smith, Ceasefire Detroit and Kenyatta Stephens, CEO Black Family Development.

As temperatures rise, so too does violent crime. With summer approaching, the One Detroit Partnership will again strategically focus resources on some of the most dangerous areas of the city. These neighborhoods in the 8^th and 9^th Precincts are among the highest in the city in fatal and non-fatal shootings, robberies, and carjackings. And because our parks should be safe to enjoy by all, One Detroit will incorporate them into our Summer Surge.

One part of the Summer Surge is an enforcement strategy designed to prosecute the most violent individuals and crimes in federal court when that is possible. Under the strategy, violent felons arrested for illegally possessing firearms and those arrested with fully automatic firearms and firearms with obliterated serial numbers in Detroit’s 8^th and 9^th Precincts, or in Detroit’s parks, will be subject to immediate federal prosecution. In addition, any individual who commits an armed carjacking or robbery of a business in the targeted areas will be prosecuted federally. Finally, any individual with a meaningful connection to the targeted areas, who commits this type of crime elsewhere in the city, will be prosecuted federally. The “hot spot” strategy for federal enforcement will begin on Memorial Day and will last until Labor Day in September.

The One Detroit partnership is also engaged in preventing crime in the targeted areas. In an effort to deter violence and illegal gun possession, last week, letters were sent to 351 individuals on probation, parole, or supervised release in the targeted areas, warning them of the enforcement strategy. But the letter—which was signed by the entire executive team of One Detroit—did more than warn. The letter asked the recipient to be a part of the solution and to help make their neighborhood a safer place. And it invited the recipient to participate in a Peacenic in their neighborhood. Peacenics are community events where residents can come for fun, engage with law enforcement, and obtain resources to improve the quality of their lives. This year’s Peacenics will take place on June 15, 2024, at Heilman Park (rain date June 23), and Saturday, June 29, 2024, at O’Hair Park (rain date June 30) from 3 PM to 7 PM. The events will feature vendors offering a variety of resources, including job training, literacy programs, mental health and medical screenings, utility assistance, educational and vocational opportunities, tutorial, career development programs, and more. And back by popular demand is the Peacenic Clothing Boutique where residents can shop for gently used clothing.  Several law enforcement agencies will also be present to engage with the community and recruit to fill vacancies in their organizations.    

Finally, the One Detroit partners will invite returning citizens who live in the “hot spot” areas to participate in Community Roundtables with justice-impacted citizens who have successfully transitioned back into society along with service providers to help directly address any barriers that are preventing them from fully reintegrating in society.

As part of our unified strategy, we encourage residents to join the partnership by taking a pledge to put down the guns and be an agent of change in their community. The pledge can be found by going to the U.S. Attorney’s Office web page at www.justice.gov/usao-edmi/one-detroit-peace-pledge. The web page will be a resource residents can go to learn of upcoming events related to One Detroit. 

“Two years ago, members of our community, government, and law enforcement, formed the One Detroit partnership with one goal: to reduce violent crime in the city. Since then, we have created direct partnerships in Detroit’s precincts, commenced reviews of non-fatal shootings, worked with returning citizens to transition peacefully back to the community, prevented violence through focused deterrence, and created a youth advisory team to learn directly from our teens what risks they face. And violent crime has dropped dramatically,” United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison said. “But let me be clear: we are not done. Detroiters—like everyone—deserve to be safe. They deserve to enjoy their public spaces. They deserve to spend their summer without fear. The Summer Surge is designed to make that a reality. We will work tirelessly to prevent violence from occurring. And when it does occur, we will hold accountable those few responsible.”

“One Detroit isn’t just about partnerships to fight crime or increase enforcement, it’s about building relationships with the neighborhoods we serve,” said Detroit Deputy Mayor Todd Bettison. “Our Peacenics have been very successful in helping to bridge the gap between law enforcement and our community, letting residents know we care and we’re all in this together.”

“Partnership is a powerful component of One Detroit. We have shown that by working collectively we can make an impact in violent crime. This summer we will continue our important mission,” said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.

“The Detroit Police Department looks forward to another successful One Detroit partnership to reduce violence in our neighborhoods most impacted by violent crime,” said Detroit Police Deputy Chief Franklin Hayes. “Thanks to the leadership and vision of U.S. Attorney Ison, Mayor Duggan, Chief White and all partners involved, we’re able to collaborate effectively to bring safety and resources to our community.”