Orginal Article Here on The Detroit News
by George Hunter
The Detroit News
Detroit — Highlighting a “change in culture” among police officers and Detroit residents, Mayor Mike Duggan Monday touted third-quarter crime statistics that showed drops in violent crime from the same period last year, including nearly a third fewer carjackings.
During a press conference at Detroit Public Safety Headquarters, flanked by representatives of multiple politicians and local and federal law enforcement agencies, Duggan said there were 90 carjackings from Jan. 1-Sept. 30, 2024, which dropped to 64 during the same period in 2025, a drop of 29%.
Since 2022, carjackings in Detroit have plummeted 67%, according to Detroit Police statistics, and 88% since 2013.
When he became mayor in 2013, “the culture in this town was if you needed a few bucks, you stuck a gun in someone’s face and took their car,” Duggan said. “There were 15 a week; now, that’s down to two. Now, people know if you take a car, there’s a good chance a helicopter is going to track you, and you’ll likely spend time in prison.”
Duggan and Police Chief Todd Bettison credited technology, including Project Green Light cameras and the Real Time Crime Center, for the drop in carjackings and other violent crimes.
“We broke the back of carjackings in the city of Detroit,” Bettison said.
Homicides dropped 15% during the third quarter this year from the same period in 2024, from 155 to 132, according to Detroit Police figures. In the third quarter of 2022, there were 223 homicides in Detroit, 41% more than the same period in 2025.
Detroit had 203 homicides in 2024, which was a 19% decline from the 252 homicides in 2023 and the lowest total since there were 188 homicides in 1965.
Non-fatal shootings dropped from 804 in 2023 to 606 in 2024 — a 25% drop.
ghunter@detroitnews.comtroitnews.com
