The Detroit Police Department has quietly stopped issuing the “Major Crime Summary Report,” Steve Neavling reports in Motor City Muckraker.
In its place, the department releases a daily round-up of information on successful police activity, such as key arrests, drug raids and missing persons found.
Neavling said the crime summaries were halted following the death in February of radio personality and activist Angelo Henderson, who spoke daily about the crime report and the suspects wanted in the crimes on his radio show.
Daily crime reports have been issued for decades by large and small American police departments. The availability of information on crime in Detroit -- since the 1960s one of the nation's most dangerous cities -- has changed frequently over the years, depending on the policies of the mayor and the chief of police.
The new report "let’s our citizens know that we are in fact making arrests and solving crime,” police spokesman Sgt. Michael Woody told Neavling.
In the meantime, public is left in the dark about violent crime and wanted suspects, Neavling wrote.
Police Chief James Craig declined to comment for Neavling's story.
Former Deputy Police Chief Jamie Fields told Neavling Craig’s decision to keep the public in the dark contradicts his claim that he wants a more transparent department.
“Transparency is the foundation of community policing,” Fields told me. “If you want visibility and transparency but your platform obscures or hides it by not being open to the community by not sharing information on crimes that occurred in their neighborhood, then that’s your de facto strategy; whatever else you might say about your community policing efforts, they will be perceived as a lie at worse or ironic at best.”
Kevyn Orr's spokesman, Bill Nowling, said the emergency manager wasn’t aware of the situation and would talk to the chief about it.
The department's daily release is called "Significant Events," and represents an impressive data-collection effort. Below is an excerpt from the March 24 report:
2nd Precinct
Location: 14600 block of W. Chicago
Date/Time: 3/24/14 12:50 a.m.
CIRCUMSTANCES:
On Monday March 24, 2014, Officers from the 2nd precinct were giving a gas station in the area special attention, when they observed a juvenile inside the store. They detained the Suspect for curfew violation. While officers were investigating the Suspect, it was discovered that he was armed with a handgun. The juvenile Suspect was arrested and conveyed to the 2nd Precinct for processing without incident.
6th Precinct
Location: Fenkell/Prest
Date/Time: 3/24/14 10:30 a.m.
CIRCUMSTANCES:
On Monday March 24, 2014, Officers from the 6th precinct performed a traffic stop on a silver, 2004, Chevy Impala. Upon investigation of the occupants, it was discovered that a Suspect (passenger) was armed with 2 handguns. Officers were able to arrest the Suspect and recover the guns without incident. The Suspect was conveyed to the Detroit Detention Center for processing.
7th Precinct
Location: 1000 block of Mack
Date/Time: 3/24/14 10:55 a.m.
CIRCUMSTANCES:
On Monday March 24, 2014, Officers from the 7th precinct responded to a robbery in progress. Officers went to the scene and talked to the Victim. Officers aired the description of the wanted Suspect and the vehicle over the police radio. Officers in the area searched for the vehicle and Suspect and located both in the area of Montclair and Kercheval. The Suspect fled in his vehicle from Officers. After a short pursuit, Officers apprehended the Suspect and recovered the stolen property. The Suspect was arrested and conveyed to the Detroit Detention Center for processing.
8th Precinct
Location: 19300 block of Harlow
Date/Time: 3/24/14 10:20 a.m.
CIRCUMSTANCES:
On Monday March 24, 2014, Officers from Narcotics raided a house in the 19300 block of Harlow and confiscated 4 knotted bags of marijuana, 12 ziploc bags of cocaine and over $1300. 3 Suspects were arrested and conveyed to the Detroit Detention Center for processing without incident.
Precinct
Location: 5900 block of Manistique
Date/Time: 3/24/14 1:35 p.m.
CIRCUMSTANCES:
On Monday March 24, 2014, Officers from Narcotics conducted a raid in the 5900 block of Manistique. Officers made 5 arrests. They recovered and confiscated 4 mason jars of marijuana, 5 ziploc bags of marijuana, 5 knotted bags of marijuana, 1 handgun and over $1000. Officers also confiscated other narcotic paraphernalia at the scene. The Suspects were arrested and conveyed to the Detroit Detention Center for processing.
