LANSING, Mich. (WXYZ) — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that violent crime in the state is the lowest it's been in seven years.
The governor's office said Monday morning that murders are down more than 40% since 2021, robberies have been cut in half since Whitmer took office and more than 1,000 illegal guns were seized as part of Operation Safe Neighborhoods.
“Every Michigander deserves to feel safe in their home, their neighborhood, and their community,” Whitmer said in a statement. “We’ve invested nearly $2 billion in public safety to put more officers on the street, support proven violence intervention programs, and take illegal guns out of the hands of people who shouldn’t have them. I’m grateful to the law enforcement officers and community partners who work every day to keep our communities safe.”
According to the governor's office, the nearly $2 million investment in public safety started in 2018 and included:
- $100 million for Public Safety Revenue Sharing grants to local municipalities with more resources for police services and to support community violence intervention initiatives
- $25.2 million for community violence intervention initiatives through grants
- $2.5 million for the state's gun violence prevention task force
- A 20% pay raise for Michigan State Police troopers and sergeants to attract and retain jobs
“Every day, our troopers across Michigan work alongside community partners to make our neighborhoods safer, and it’s yielding results,” MSP Director Col. James F. Grady II said in a statement. “Governor Whitmer’s investments have given us the resources to protect Michiganders, take illegal guns off our streets and build real trust with the communities we serve. We’re proud of this progress, and we’re not slowing down.”
The state says Whitmer has also signed gun safety laws including universal background checks, safe storage requirements, extreme risk protection order and a ban on convicted domestic abusers from possessing guns.
Since the start of Operation Safe Neighborhoods, law enforcement has conducted more than 11,000 check-ins with people with felonies, and illegal drugs and ammunition have been found during sweeps, Whitmer's office says.
That initiative builds on MI Safe Communities, which Whitmer launched in 2021 to invest in police, get illegal guns off the street and help fund more opportunities in jobs, education and the justice system.
