Detroit Police launch quarterly public meetings

Detroit Police held the first of what they say will be quarterly community meetings Tuesday night.

Police Chief Ralph Godbee says the meetings are a way to share up-to-date crime data with Detroit residents.

Godbee says it’s also a way for the police and citizens to exchange information, and start tackling the city’s crime problem honestly.

 “We have to engage the community in a meaningful way. Not patronizing them, not telling them what we think they want to hear, but giving the realistic landscape of what we’re up against, but also taking credit for what we’ve done right.”

Godbee told the group at last night’s meeting that citywide crime is down for the first part of this year.

However, he acknowledges that homicides and non-fatal shootings are up somewhat. There have been 91 homicides in Detroit so far this year.