Detroit PD: Crime Surges In 2020, '2021 Has Got To Be Better'

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic was a significant factor in the surge in crime in Detroit in 2020, Police Chief James Craig said.

Craig held a press conference Wednesday (January 6), giving an overview of the city’s crimes in the past year.

The Detroit Police Department noted a 19% increase in murders and a 53% increase in shootings that weren’t fatal.

There was a decrease, however, in sexual assaults by about 36%, and other crimes also decreased in the last year, likely because of the pandemic, Fox 2 noted.

"It’s clear that the pandemic was the single most factor in driving violence in our cities, including here in Detroit," Craig said. "The rise in drug use during this pandemic fueled the level of violence."

Many other cities across the U.S. have also experienced a rise in crime, pointing to the pandemic as a contributing factor. Craig and others also note the unrest in response to racial injustices. That includes the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and others.

University of Missouri-St. Louis criminology professor Richard Rosenfeld previously told the Associated Press that 28 cities nationwide have also reported increases in violent crimes.

Officials are hoping to combat the upward trends in local crimes in the new year.

"...First and foremost, if we’re going to collectively reduce violence, we’ve got to first continue to move forward very assertively in dealing with this pandemic," Craig said of his goals for 2021. "And I think once that happens, and it’s starting to happen now, we’re gonna see great change."

"I’m glad we closed the door on 2020,” Craig added, “because 2021 has got to be better."

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