Community Calls For Peaceful Summer, Rally Planned

(CBS DETROIT) - Warmer weather can mean hotter tempers in Detroit.

A time of year when there's often an uptick in violent crime.

Organizers from Force Detroit are uniting with city and community leaders to strategize on ways to keep the peace.

"The summertime is just more active and the more active human-beings are with this mentality its gone be some type of conflict or confrontation," said DeJuan Kennedy, an organizer with the group.

According to the Detroit Police Department's 2022 Community Safety Strategy report, DPD saw a 27% increase in criminal homicides and a 44% increase in non-fatal shootings to date since June 2021.

This year, DPD is focused on crowd and code management to reduce numbers.

The department also plans to tackle violent crime through a stronger police presence, community engagement, plus noise and traffic enforcement.

Force Detroit is now calling on the community to take accountability in their neighborhoods to help reduce violent crime.

"Neighborhoods are coming together to make peace and that communities are taking ownership of peace-making," said Alia Harvey Quinn of Force Detroit.

The group is organizing a rally outside the Spirit of Detroit Saturday at 3pm to discuss peace-building solutions for the summer months.

"Stand with us, stand with community," Kennedy said.

"Have the conversations while you're out there with community members as well as public officials, as well as organizers. Network, build up that relationship equity so that we could reinforce empathy for one another."

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