Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco Delivers Remarks at the One Detroit Roundtable

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery

Thank you, Dawn, for that very kind introduction - and thank you all for welcoming me and for being here.

I'm especially grateful to Chief White for hosting us at the Detroit Police Department.

It's a privilege to join Detroit's law enforcement and community leaders today - who are working together to tackle violent crime to make this community safer.

I'm here to listen and learn because the work of One Detroit is having a real impact - and it's being felt in reduced levels of violent crime across this city.

The Department of Justice has no higher priority than keeping our communities safe, and we are all-in on reversing the violent crime uptick that started in 2020, during the pandemic.

Every jurisdiction faces unique challenges - large or small, rural or urban - no community can tackle them alone.

So, in 2021, the Justice Department announced a comprehensive strategy to reduce violent crime - a strategy rooted in local communities and built on four distinct pillars:

1. Going after the most significant drivers of violent crime - especially gun crimes and violent repeat offenders;
2. Fostering trust and earning legitimacy in the communities we serve;
3. Investing in community-based prevention and intervention programs; and
4. Measuring the results of our efforts by our impact, through actual decreases in violent crime.

We are committed to an approach that is data-driven and centered on what federal law enforcement does best: and that's serving as a force multiplier with our state and local law enforcement partners and bringing the resources needed to go after the drivers of violent crime.

Our strategy is paying real dividends - when it comes to violent crime, those dividends take the form of lives saved, families united, and safer communities.

One Detroit brings together community members and law enforcement; and it brings local solutions to local challenges.

When data informs strategy that is guided by community; when trust develops into real partnership; and when prevention, intervention, and enforcement all work hand in hand; that's a formula for success against violent crime.

And that's what we're seeing here in Detroit and in more and more communities throughout the country.

Over the past year, violent crime is on a broad downward trajectory across the United States.

And Detroit is leading the charge. As of this month, every category of violent crime is declining - some to well below pre-pandemic levels.

Detroit closed out 2023 with the fewest homicides on record - in over 50 years.

But we're not letting up. Here in the Motor City and across the nation, we're keeping our foot on the gas when it comes to our violent crime reduction strategy.

A few minutes ago, I visited Detroit's Real-Time Crime Center, which the Justice Department is proud to support.

I saw real-time data in action helping federal, state, and local law enforcement collaborate to tackle violent crime.

Just last week, by deploying ATF crime gun intelligence, like the kind being used at the Real-Time Crime Center, the U.S. Attorney's Office - working with its partners - secured a conviction of a man who trafficked 35 guns into the city of Detroit.

Put simply, these types of intelligence centers, whether focused on break-ins or gun crimes, or identifying crime hotspots are keeping our citizens safer.

Let me conclude where I started - by thanking all of you here who are united as One Detroit.

This collection of leaders shows the power of a community that pulls together - members of law enforcement, nonprofits, faith leaders, policymakers, and elected officials - all addressing every element of violent crime: from enforcement to prevention to outreach to re-entry.

Look around this table. There are a lot of folks here, bringing different perspectives, tools, and expertise.

To solve big problems, we need big tables - and everyone needs a seat.

I want to thank Dawn Ison and her team at the U.S. Attorney's Office for their work and for the work represented by all of you and your teams here today.

I also want to thank Chief White, Deputy Mayor Bettison, and Wayne County Prosecutor Worthy for joining us today and for everything you and your teams are doing to drive down violent crime - along with our law enforcement partners from the ATF, DEA, and FBI.

This work is far from over - but One Detroit shows what we can do when we come together.

I'm eager to hear about the work you're doing and the work ahead.

Thank you again for having me.

And now I'll turn it over to Chief White.

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