The city of Detroit wants to expand its ShotStoppers community violence intervention program with state funding. The city announced this week that it's opening applications for two new groups to join the six already in the program.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan joined other city leaders at a press conference announcing the plan. “What is driving down the violence are the groups that are doing the hard work, to be in the high schools, to be in the neighborhoods, having face-to-face conversations,” he said.
City officials have said the program has contributed to violent crime dropping by 30% to 70% in some of the cities' most violent neighborhoods.
Duggan said the program expansion depends on state Senate approval of the fund in September. “We wanted to start the process because we want to have new groups on the streets in Detroit by October 1,” Duggan said.
In addition, ShotStoppers is set to receive an additional $1 million through the American Rescue Plan Act.
Duggan said the program is looking for groups with a track record of helping young people and other at-risk populations to join the program in September. Detroit will take applications this summer.
The latest funding for ShotStoppers comes from the new $75 million Public Safety Trust Fund in the recently passed state budget.
Officials hope the extra funding will help alleviate concerns about continuing community violence intervention work beyond the end of federal rescue plan act funding.
“This is going to have a long-lasting impact here,” said Democratic state Representative Alabas Farhat. “People are going to be able to count on millions of dollars coming back home,” he said.
