Detroit's east side is being warned: The federal government is watching -- very closely.
Responding to the latest spate of violence in the city, U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade announced a federal crackdown Wednesday on the entire east side, saying the crime-plagued area has become the most violent section in the city and warrants federal attention. Homicides, in particular, she stressed, are "intolerably high" on the east side, where there was a 75% jump in homicides last year. The west side had a 27% drop last year.
"I made it my personal resolution in 2012 to reduce homicides in the city of Detroit," McQuade said at a news conference, flanked by 15 uniformed federal, local and State Police officials. "We will not allow Detroit to be defined by violence and homicides."
The city recorded 344 homicides in 2011, up from 308 in 2010. As of Sunday, Detroit has had 49 homicides this year, compared with 39 during the same period last year.
However, overall violent crime was down 8% last year, with 7,300 fewer incidents.
McQuade held the news conference to let the public know law enforcement isn't sitting idly by in the wake of the latest rash of violence.
In recent weeks, Detroit has witnessed the shooting death of an infant, the slaying of a 12-year-old girl, a 14-year-old boy accused of killing his mother, and a 6-year-old critically injured after being shot with an AK47 during an attempted carjacking.
That has drawn the attention of federal agencies, including the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. All want to help Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee Jr.
"This is not a bunch of talking heads up here. We mean this," said Robert Corso, who heads the DEA office in Detroit and was raised in the city. "This is a personal vendetta of mine."
Under the federal government's intervention plan, federal, state and local agents will comb the east side and focus on gun crimes.
It's not a new concept.
Six months ago, the federal government targeted gun crimes in the 48205 ZIP code, which is northeast of Coleman A. Young International Airport and considered one of the deadliest in Detroit. The idea is to prosecute gun crimes in federal court, where sentences are stiffer than in state court.
Project 48205 has yielded about 13 federal gun prosecutions, including one case filed this week involving a domestic dispute in Detroit. When Detroit officers responded, they found a machine gun and hand grenade in the house, which triggered federal charges.
McQuade said the way she sees it, a routine domestic dispute got a machine gun off the streets of Detroit.
Now, she said, it is time to branch into more neighborhoods, charge people with federal gun crimes and lock them up longer. The average prison sentence for a federal gun crime is seven years, she said.
That gets people talking, said Andrew Arena, special agent in charge of the Detroit FBI office. He said he believes the "no-snitch" mentality is wearing down a bit in Detroit.
"People are talking to us," Arena said, noting that the FBI recently arrested eight of the most dangerous wanted felons in the city.
Arena said that on Valentine's Day, for example, the FBI took a list of 50 outstanding arrest warrants from the Detroit Police Department. The list contained the names of the "worst of the worst," he said.
After knocking on doors for two days, Arena said, the FBI arrested eight wanted people, learned that two were dead and another 15 had fled the state.
Godbee, who also attended the news conference, said he is grateful for the federal intervention, noting his department is both "disturbed" and "overwhelmed emotionally" by the rash of violence in Detroit.
But nobody's caving, he said, adding: "I don't mind being held accountable."
(VIA FREEP.COM )
Responding to the latest spate of violence in the city, U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade announced a federal crackdown Wednesday on the entire east side, saying the crime-plagued area has become the most violent section in the city and warrants federal attention. Homicides, in particular, she stressed, are "intolerably high" on the east side, where there was a 75% jump in homicides last year. The west side had a 27% drop last year.
"I made it my personal resolution in 2012 to reduce homicides in the city of Detroit," McQuade said at a news conference, flanked by 15 uniformed federal, local and State Police officials. "We will not allow Detroit to be defined by violence and homicides."
The city recorded 344 homicides in 2011, up from 308 in 2010. As of Sunday, Detroit has had 49 homicides this year, compared with 39 during the same period last year.
However, overall violent crime was down 8% last year, with 7,300 fewer incidents.
McQuade held the news conference to let the public know law enforcement isn't sitting idly by in the wake of the latest rash of violence.
In recent weeks, Detroit has witnessed the shooting death of an infant, the slaying of a 12-year-old girl, a 14-year-old boy accused of killing his mother, and a 6-year-old critically injured after being shot with an AK47 during an attempted carjacking.
That has drawn the attention of federal agencies, including the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. All want to help Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee Jr.
"This is not a bunch of talking heads up here. We mean this," said Robert Corso, who heads the DEA office in Detroit and was raised in the city. "This is a personal vendetta of mine."
Under the federal government's intervention plan, federal, state and local agents will comb the east side and focus on gun crimes.
It's not a new concept.
Six months ago, the federal government targeted gun crimes in the 48205 ZIP code, which is northeast of Coleman A. Young International Airport and considered one of the deadliest in Detroit. The idea is to prosecute gun crimes in federal court, where sentences are stiffer than in state court.
Project 48205 has yielded about 13 federal gun prosecutions, including one case filed this week involving a domestic dispute in Detroit. When Detroit officers responded, they found a machine gun and hand grenade in the house, which triggered federal charges.
McQuade said the way she sees it, a routine domestic dispute got a machine gun off the streets of Detroit.
Now, she said, it is time to branch into more neighborhoods, charge people with federal gun crimes and lock them up longer. The average prison sentence for a federal gun crime is seven years, she said.
That gets people talking, said Andrew Arena, special agent in charge of the Detroit FBI office. He said he believes the "no-snitch" mentality is wearing down a bit in Detroit.
"People are talking to us," Arena said, noting that the FBI recently arrested eight of the most dangerous wanted felons in the city.
Arena said that on Valentine's Day, for example, the FBI took a list of 50 outstanding arrest warrants from the Detroit Police Department. The list contained the names of the "worst of the worst," he said.
After knocking on doors for two days, Arena said, the FBI arrested eight wanted people, learned that two were dead and another 15 had fled the state.
Godbee, who also attended the news conference, said he is grateful for the federal intervention, noting his department is both "disturbed" and "overwhelmed emotionally" by the rash of violence in Detroit.
But nobody's caving, he said, adding: "I don't mind being held accountable."
(VIA FREEP.COM )
