Detroit Homicide Inspector Dwayne Blackmon reviews a breakdown of crime rates as Mayor Bing looks on. Bing said “The release of annual crime statistics reminds us of the senselessness of crime and violence in our community; the challenges facing our police force; and the need to improve conflict resolution and other anti-crime initiatives.” (Photo by Karen Hudson Samuels)

Detroit Homicides Up in 2012 Other Crimes Down

By Karen Hudson Samuels/Tell Us Detroit

DETROIT (Tell Us Det) - In his first official business of the New Year, Detroit Mayor Dave Bing held a news conference Monday on the city’s 2012 crime statistics, the first of what he says will be a series of regular media briefings on public safety in the city.

The crime statistics released to the press tell a multi- layered story; while the overall crime rate in major categories was down 2.6 percent in Detroit, the number of homicides increased from 386 in 2011 to a total of 411 in 2012.

The Mayor was joined by top officials, including Interim Police Chief Chester Logan to share information answer questions and from Bing’s perspective, to set the record straight on crime reporting by the media.

“Recent headlines have raised questions about discrepancies in the reporting of homicides during 2012 and speculating as to whether the city’s homicide numbers are being underreported.”

Spiraling gunplay is behind the increase in shooting deaths and the 1,263 non-fatal shootings in 2012, it is part of a national problem said Interim Chief Logan who asserted America has a problem with guns and Detroit seems to be at the “epicenter”. Logan also sees gun violence as a civil rights issue and said the community needs to speak out on this aspect of gun activity.

Mayor Bing said he has reached out DPS Emergency Manager Roy Roberts to address the problem of young black males in particular who get involved in gunplay and expects to meet with him this weekend.

"We've just lost respect for each other, we've lost respect for life and in some kind of way, all of us have to get back involved in this to give back to this next generation." The Mayor said he does not favor the National Rifle Association’s recommendation of having armed guards in every school.

The total number of homicides in 2012 included justifiable homicides, death by suicide, accident, natural causes or occurrences in other jurisdictions --- the case of Grosse Pointe Park wife Jane Bashara whose body was found in Detroit but died in Grosse Point is an example of this type of homicide.

An overall breakdown of the crime stats showed an overall reduction in aggravated assault down 1.86 percent, burglary down by 12.8 percent, larceny by .12 percent a drop in rape by 6.2 percent. However, motor vehicle theft increased.