• Preliminary numbers show Detroit ended 2025 with 165 criminal homicides, down 19% from last year’s 60-year low of 203 and down 35% since 2023
• Non-fatal shootings down 26% in 2025, cut nearly in half from two years ago
• Carjackings down 46% in 2025, capping remarkable 84% drop since 2015
• Mayor Sheffield praises partners, promises continued support and new strategies in first 100 days 

All categories of major crime in Detroit saw significant reductions in 2025, led by new historic lows of criminal homicides, nonfatal shootings and carjackings. Mayor Mary Sheffield joined with Chief Todd A. Bettison and a coalition of local, state, federal and community partners to share the news today.  

According to preliminary year-end numbers, violent crime in Detroit in 2025 continued a precipitous drop, including homicides which fell below 200 for the first time in decades. The City ended 2025 with 165 criminal homicides, a 19% drop from the 203 recorded in 2024 and down 35% from 252 in 2023.  

Preliminary numbers also show that Detroit ended the year with 447 non-fatal shootings – a 26% drop from the previous year and a 62% reduction from 1,176 in 2020. Carjackings saw an extraordinary one-year drop of 46% to 77 from the 142 recorded in 2024. Carjackings in Detroit today have been reduced 84% since 2015.

Mayor Mary Sheffield praised Chief Bettison, DPD officers and their many partners in this work for making Detroit a safer place for its residents and visitors.  

“Nothing we do as a city is more important than keeping our residents safe,” said Mayor Mary Sheffield. “Safer communities and historic reductions in crime like this don’t happen without effective strategies, great partnerships and the political will to fund these efforts. All of those things exist in Detroit and will continue to in the Sheffield Administration.”  

Mayor Sheffield also pledged to create a new office of Neighborhood & Community Safety within her first 100 days.  

“Prevention is the key, and my office will be deeply involved in developing new strategies to build on the great work already being done,” Mayor Sheffield said. 

All categories of crime see reductions

Detroit follows Michigan State Police and FBI standards for reporting crime statistics annually.  While official 2025 numbers may change slightly as some cases conclude ongoing investigations, preliminary data show that Detroit recorded the following numbers for those crimes:

Crime category                 2024                   2025                    % change +/-

Homicides                         203                     165                       -19%

Nonfatal Shootings          603                     447                       -26%

Carjackings                      142                      77                         -46%

Sexual Assaults               613                      529                       -14%  

Auto Theft                          8,331                   6,391                    -23%

Robbery                             1,209                   953                       -21%  

The city’s overall crime showed a reduction in all major categories, including a 10% drop in overall violent crime and a 10% drop in property crime.  

“These stats represent the commitment I promised you all when I was first sworn in as police chief, for continued dedication and constant improvement by the Detroit Police Department,” said Detroit Police Chief, Todd A. Bettison. “As we embark on this new year, with our new Mayor, I am confident that the work done in the previous year to decrease crime will continue and be even more effective with her support and guidance. There is a saying that there is no I in team; and this collaboration is the true representation of teamwork.” ance. There is a saying that there is no I in team; and this collaboration is the true representation of teamwork.”  

Mayor Sheffield and Chief Todd A. Bettison thanked all partners involved in the work, including:  

• Wayne County officials including Executive Warren Evans, Prosecutor Kym Worthy, Sheriff Raphael Washington
• Federal officials including US Attorney Jerome Gorgon, as well as the DEA, FBI, ATF and Department of Homeland Security
• Michigan State Police and Michigan Department of Corrections
• Leadership of the courts, including 3rd Circuit Court Chief Judge Edward Ewell, Jr. and Judge Pat Fresard and 36th District Court Chief Judge William McConico
• Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network
• The City’s seven ShotStoppers community violence intervention groups: Detroit Friends & Family, Force Detroit, New Era Detroit, Detroit 300, People’s Community, Live in Peace and Team Pursuit 

Below is a summary of the contributions made by DPD and its many partners:

Detroit Police Department

In recent years, DPD has added new strategies and resources in response to emerging trends to reduce gun violence: 

• Developed a new Neighborhood Response Team supported by a central team of 80 officers to respond early to illegal street parties. who were called in to prevent threats to neighborhood safety from illegal block parties.  
• Elevated citizen 911 calls for illegal street parties to Priority 1 calls for earlier response.
• Successfully recruited and retained police officers and now have 99% of all sworn positions filled (2634 filled out of 2672 positions total). There was a net increase of 195 sworn officers in 2023 and 144 sworn officers in 2024. That brings to 339 the net number of officers on the street following the November 2022 $10,000 pay hike.
• Expanded use of Evolv scanners at large gatherings to prevent illegal weapons from being brought in, including at the NFL Draft in April 2024, which drew more than 775,000 visitors to the city over three days with no significant incidents.

Chief Bettison and Mayor Sheffield also thanked Detroit City Council for its adoption of tougher parental responsibility fines - $250 for a first offense and $500 for a second – for parents of juveniles out after curfew. In June, the city experienced a spike in juvenile related violence.  Since the changes were implemented, juvenile crime has declined significantly.

Federal Partnership

US Attorney Jerome Gorgon in 2025 significantly stepped up federal gun crime prosecutions in Detroit. Gorgon also has embedded federal prosecutors in seven of the city’s precincts, while Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy has embedded 8 county prosecutors across seven precincts.  

“We know that ‘iron sharpens iron.’ And our work with the Detroit Police proves it,” said United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. “We have a model partnership with them and our federal law enforcement partners. We have our folks in their precincts, and they have theirs in our office. We are shoulder-to-shoulder. When one calls, the others answer. As the U.S. Attorney, I am honored to work with these men and women. As a man raising his family in Detroit, I am thankful for all they do to keep us safe.”    

In addition, the ATF and DEA coordinated efforts with US Attorney Gorgon to dramatically increase enforcement of gun crimes:

• 6,235 guns recovered
• 5,079 casings entered into the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN)
• 2,932 investigative leads generated by NIBIN  
• 593 search warrants served
• 2,253 felony arrests
• 141 individuals charged federally 

“Every family in Detroit deserves to live in a community where gun violence does not dictate daily life,” said ATF Detroit Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “ATF is relentless in dismantling networks and individuals driving violent gun crime—ATF remains laser focused on targeting prolific shooters, crime-gun traffickers, arsonists, bombers, and anyone fueling gang-related violence across Detroit and in our surrounding communities. Using Crime Gun Intelligence and the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) as the bedrock of our gun violence reduction strategy, ATF is steadfast along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Detroit Police Department, and the rest of our federal and state partners in aggressively targeting violent offenders for federal prosecution, building ironclad cases, and removing the most dangerous trigger-pullers from our Detroit neighborhoods.”

“FBI Detroit values its strong partnership with DPD to Crush Violent Crime, and these results were made possible through our constant intelligence sharing and joint task force operations,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “I am grateful for the commitment of DPD, our law enforcement partners, and our community leaders who work with us every day to keep Detroit safe.”

County Partnership

Wayne County Executive Warren Evans led a coordinated effort across the County law enforcement departments and the courts.

“We’re proud to be making even more progress than last year, because behind every reduction is a family spared heartbreak and a neighborhood that feels a little safer. We’re seeing improvements across every major category of crime, and that momentum matters,” said County Executive Warren C. Evans. “This doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of strong partnerships and a shared commitment to never give up on our neighborhoods. When we work together, we make our communities safer, stronger, and more hopeful for the future.”

Wayne County Prosecutor Kim Worthy increased coordination with DPD on shooting and homicide cases.  

Wayne County Sheriff Raphael Washington increased accountability for defendants released on tether to the Wayne County Sheriff.

The Fugitive Apprehension Service Team (FAST) unit is a joint fugitive apprehension unit of DPD and the Wayne County Sheriff. In 2025, FAST apprehended 1,102 individuals with outstanding felony warrants, prioritizing those wanted for gun crime.

Court Partnership

Former Chief Judge Patricia Fresard and the Judges of the Wayne County 3rd Circuit Court reduced the backlog of felony gun cases by 3,000 cases, bringing justice and closure to victims and those accused.  

“Courts typically address crime but it was my greatest honor in 2025 to join with these dedicated partners not just to address crime but to prevent it by acting on our collective true dedication and concern for the citizens of Detroit," said Judge Patricia Fresard. "Together we sought out and acted on many opportunities for alternatives to violence and support for the safety of our city and its residents. Together we are grateful for the impact of our collective efforts and for your support and are confident of the continuing success of this collaboration.”

Chief Judge William McConico and the Judges of the 36th District Court reduced the felony gun case backlog by 1,900, restoring the court’s operations to pre-Covid levels.  

State Partnership

Governor Whitmer and the State Legislature late last year approved the Public Safety Trust Fund, which will provide Detroit $10.6 million for law enforcement and community violence prevention. DPD is in the process of determining how it will use its funds.  The city is committing 25% of those funds ($2.6M) to expand the areas of the city covered by its CVI groups.  

Heidi Washington and the Michigan Department of Corrections enhanced enforcement for those on Probation and Parole.  MDOC identified individuals who were most likely to illegally possess firearms while on probation and worked with the courts to secure updated probation orders that allowed for additional searches and compliance checks to be carried out by the MDOC and law enforcement partners. The resulting arrests helped take more guns off the streets.

Michigan State Police has been a critical partner in the crackdown on drag racing and drifting. MSP air support helped monitor illegal activities from above and allowed the tracking and arrest of drivers of fleeing vehicles without the danger of high-speed DPD traffic pursuits.  

Community Partnerships

The City’s Community Violence Intervention groups have produced incredible results in achieving reductions in homicides and nonfatal shootings beyond the reductions being experienced in non CVI areas. In June, the city added two new CVI groups – Live In Peace and Team Pursuit – on the northeast side, bringing the total number of CVI zones to seven.  

Additionally, Ceasefire Detroit will implement the targeted and intensive approach of serving a specific “CVI zone,” servicing a 4.5-mile area bounded by Puritan, Telegraph, Schoolcraft and the Southfield Freeway.  Ceasefire Detroit has offered violence prevention services since 2013 and has experience working across a wide range of police precincts.  

Late last year, the Michigan Legislature approved the state’s new budget, including a Public Safety Trust Fund that will provide additional funding to cities with a higher rate of crime. The city will use a portion of those revenues to fund another CVI zone expansion, based on data collected over the past year. This means the area of the city covered by violence prevention groups committed to a specific violence prevention zone would increase over 50% from where it was just six months ago: 

• CVI Coverage Area prior to June 2025: 22 square miles
• With June 2025 CVI expansion: 30 square miles
• With proposed CVI expansion & dedicated Ceasefire zone: 36 square miles 
   

“Force Detroit along with our partners are extremely grateful to all the individuals and community members who have been impacted by the cycle of violence,” said Zoe Kennedy. “Those who have decided not perpetuated violence, who’ve decided not to open fire around children, who’ve decided not to open fire around our elders, who have decided not open fire on homes! Who have decided to resolve conflicts before they escalated, who’ve decided to change the narrative.”  

DPD’s partnership with Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network (DWIHN) has become a national example of policing that is conscious of and sensitive to the fact that many of the individuals they encounter may be experiencing some form of emotional crisis. To address this, DPD and DWIHN have developed a training program and Crisis Intervention Team co-response protocol that has helped police and mental health professionals to deescalate situations and prevent individuals from harming themselves or others. In 2025, the CIT responded to 2,859 runs.