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The Detroit Police Officers Association is warning citizens and out-of-towners that they enter Detroit at their own risk, saying that the "grossly understaffed" and overworked police force cannot adequately protect the public in the increasingly violent city.
“Detroit is America’s most violent city, its homicide rate is the highest in the country and yet the Detroit Police Department is grossly understaffed,” DPOA Attorney Donato Iorio told WWJ over the weekend. “The DPOA believes that there is a war in Detroit, but there should be a war on crime, not a war on its officers.”
The most dangerous cities in America
An analysis of the FBI's Uniform Crime Report data from 24/7 Wall St. indicates that Detroit actually has the second-highest violent crime rate in the country, behind Flint, Mich. Homicide increased by 11 percent in 2011, while robbery and aggravated assault are fourth- and second-highest in the country, respectively, according to the report.
This summer, city leaders cut the police department's 2012-13 budget by $75 million, to about $340 million, in an attempt to reduce the city's deficits, the Detroit Free Press reported. That forced the department to draw up a budget that will result in the loss of 380 positions through attrition and early retirement.
Iorio told WWJ hundreds of officers have left the department since the start of summer.
"Officers are leaving simply because they can’t afford to stay in Detroit and work 12-hour shifts for what they are getting paid," Iorio told WWJ. "These police officers are beyond demoralized. ... They can no longer afford to stay on the department and protect the public,” he said.
According to the DPOA's manifesto, Detroit police are the lowest paid of any big city and have to work in what Iorio describes as "deplorable, dangerous and war-like conditions." About a month ago, a judge refused to block the pay cuts for the officers.
"The state treasurer has threatened Detroit Police Officers with another 10% wage cut for going to court to protect their rights," the DPOA manifesto reads.
“The explosion in violent crime, the incredible spike in the number of homicides and for officers trying to work 12 hours in such deplorable, dangerous and war like conditions is simple untenable,” Iorio told WWJ.
Renee Monforton of the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau told NBC News that it’s unfortunate that the police union is using such tactics to move its agenda forward.
“It’s offering an unfair portrayal of a city that’s made a lot of strides in the past couple of years,” she said, noting that companies such as Quicken Loans have recently moved their headquarters and offices to downtown Detroit.
Getting people to come to Detroit can be a challenge, she said, but once visitors experience the city they are likely to return.
“People who come here are so pleasantly surprised that we see a lot of repeat visitations,” Monforton said.
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This is what happens when racism controls their every decision. Qualified people have tried to step up, but they won't hire a white chief of police, or elect a white mayor. Every person who has tried has been dismissed as "not black enough". That quote has been repeated more times than I can remember.
Go ahead and call me a racist, but Detroit is ruled by them and they're all corrupt.
They used to say similar things about NYC. Now, esp Manhattan, is so pricey many people, like us, decided to go somewhere and live confortably-nice place to visit but not a place to live if you are not wealthy or at least make a certain amount of money and don't mind constantly working to keep up with the bills, fund your retirement, etc.
I know NYC is not in the same "league" and there are scary parts of NYC. I know NYC is on the coast and has many geographic advantages Detroit lacks, stock markets, rich folks, thieving rich folks on Wall Street, good jobs for many, cultural attractions such as the theatre and opera. And, I hate to say it, but only the resurgences in the economy brought it out of the hole it was in.
It is scary to think we can't come up with any hope for Detroit except maybe move some prisons there, gambling, etc., but this a toughie.
I live in near Grand Rapids, MI. I have not been to Detroit since about 1975. These are the same stories I have heard from childhood. So this is nothing new.
Detroit is a pig sty!
Detroit is a hot mess, for sure. I have not lived there since 1979, and back then it was bad, but nothing like now. I grew up there and it was great, when there were jobs, and lots less crime. But I hate when people say stuff like all the people who live there now are like the scum of the earth, etc. That's just not true. There are lots of really good, kind and hardworking people there. Many of them are elderly, and they are trapped there and lots of times they become victims of crime. Most decent people don't want to be there anymore but are unable to get out, and a few are still there because they are crazy enough to want to stay there. But with the loss of jobs, and the fact that the city has pretty much been run by criminals, con men and thieves for the past 40 years or so, what do you expect? Very sad.
In fact, I'm willing to bet this happened before Detroit was a model city for the world.
crime is the end result of police failure . you can not protect a community when you are not part of it ..the statement proves that ...come at your own risk ...start walking the beat, not giving out tickets ...and stop treating citizens like they are dogs ...we know police can never prevent crime, but at least make a showing for effort ..
Detroit is a mess. Until they can level all of the abandoned homes and buildings, nothing is going to change. They need to encourage the few remaining residents of the most neglected areas of town, like the east side, to move to the more populated areas so that the city can provide an adequate level of services to it's existing residents. The population went from nearly 2 million in the 60s to 700k now, so the population is kinda spread out. A good blog on Detroit can be read here:Detroit is a mess. Until they can level all of the abandoned homes and buildings, nothing is going to change. They need to encourage the few remaining residents of the most neglected areas of town, like the east side, to move to the more populated areas so that the city can provide an adequate level of services to it's existing residents. The population went from nearly 2 million in the 60s to 700k now, so the population is kinda spread out.
A good blog on Detroit can be read here: Lots of good pictures, videos, and articles on things that are happening in Detroit.