Grandmont-Rosedale preventing crime with 'Broken Windows'

Detroit Police have been working to come up with a long range strategy to reduce fear and prevent violent crime. Thursday, the department revealed results from a pilot program tested in one area of the city.

Home invasions, assaults, critical shootings -- violent crime in Detroit have escalated in 2012. Can the problem be fixed?

An attempted answer to that question was to implement a program called "Broken Windows" in the Grandmont-Rosedale neighborhood.  The premise of the program developed by the Manhattan Institute of Public Policy relies on citizens getting more involved.

At a meeting to check on the status of the program was implemented a few months ago, Inspector Vicki Youst was asked whether there has been any progress catching individuals suspected of robbing North Rosedale residents while they were doing yard work.

"The pattern was essentially that people were doing yard work, they were in their driveway, that someone was coming up and pulling off gold chains or jewelry from the individuals. We have made some gun-related, firearm-related and robbery-related arrests in this immediate area, and because we have not seen that modus operandi reappear, at this point I'm cautiously optimistic that we have caught the people responsible."

Detroit Police released stats showing improvement in decreasing the number of home invasions in the Grandmont-Rosedale community -- a 32 percent reduction in home invasions in the last 120 days.

"This is simply fantastic. This is how you build a safe community," said Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee.

This area is strong on neighborhood watch and citizens' CB radio patrol.

George Kelling of the "Broken Windows" program attended the meeting. He reiterated the premise of asking police and neighborhoods to crack down together on all crimes, even smaller crime in an effort to keep more serious crimes from developing.

"As you heard in the presentations, some of these criminals are very, very busy. They're stealing tires. They're carrying guns, and they settle disputes by shooting each other, and so, yes, I think 'Broken Windows' can help." says Kelling.

Godbee says this program will go from a 'pilot phase' to full implementation starting soon in northwest Detroit.