Flint’s police chief says violent crime is down in his city, despite the city reaching a grim milestone this past week.
Last Sunday, 16 year old Wesley Gillmore became the 50th person murdered in Flint this year. Flint has notched at least fifty homicides in each of the last four years. The city set a record with 67 murders in 2012.
Still police Chief James Tolbert says Flint’s violent crime rate is improving, down 29% in the last 11 months.
To keep that downward direction, Tolbert says the public’s help is needed.
“Understand that we still need people to step up and to give us information so we can assure that we can follow each investigation to its fullest,” says Tolbert.
Tolbert credits Flint’s police officers with decreasing the violent crime rate. Michigan State Police troopers are also in Flint to assist the local police department.