Downriver Today

So far, so good when it comes to the results of the Operation Safe Neighborhoods program.

The program has led law enforcement personnel to visit 1,448 felony offenders that yielded the confiscation of 194 illegal guns, illegal drugs and ammunition, according to a news release from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s (D-MI) office.

“Every Michigander deserves to live in safe communities,” Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II said in the release. “When policymakers do the work to support police-community relationships, we can make real change and prevent crime in the first place. Governor Whitmer and I will continue to invest in all of the mechanisms available to us to create communities where every person feels safe, knowing that the state of Michigan is invested in their future.”

In 2022, more than 450 state residents have died as a result of gun violence with roughly one in three reported violent crimes in the state involving a gun.

“As governor, my top priority is the safety and security of our families and communities,” Whitmer said. “Today, I am proud to announce that Operation Safe Neighborhoods has taken 194 illegal guns off the street before they could be used in commission of a crime. This is a part of our work to make our streets safer and stop violence in our communities. As a former prosecutor, I am proud that we have worked across the aisle to invest over $1 billion in public safety, send local governments more resources than they have received in decades to hire and support law enforcement officers and doubled secondary road patrols to keep people safe on the road."

She added that she would continue working with municipalities, lawmakers and law enforcement to “prevent gun violence.”

 “I have partnered with attorneys general across our country to address the proliferation of illegal firearms and get these weapons off our streets,” said Attorney General Dana Nessel. “People who circumvent the legal process for obtaining a firearm pose a serious threat to our communities. I will continue to enforce the law and hold criminals accountable.”