‘Transparency, accountability’ key to community policing and violence intervention

March 23, 2026

At a University of Michigan and BridgeDetroit panel discussion on community safety, experts examined Detroit's response to the 2020 George Floyd protests and explored alternatives to traditional policing. The diverse panel—including a community organizer, Detroit's Community Violence Intervention administrator, a police commissioner, and a historian—discussed how credible messengers with lived experience can de-escalate conflicts more effectively than police through trust-based relationships. Panelists criticized over-reliance on surveillance technology and inconsistent funding cycles that undermine violence prevention programs, arguing that public safety requires a comprehensive approach addressing housing, mental health, and community relationships rather than policing alone.

Who is affected

Detroit residents and communities, particularly vulnerable communities of color
Youth and children failed by existing systems
Community violence intervention outreach workers and program staff
Detroit Police Department officers and leadership
Members of the Board of Police Commissioners
People with lived experience of violence and trauma
Individuals with "hood celebrity" or informal community status
Neighbors in local Detroit communities
Victims and those at risk of community violence

What action is being taken

Detroit's Community Violence Intervention (CVI) program is operating under Michael Peterson II's administration
Credible messengers with lived experience are building trust and de-escalating conflicts in communities
The Board of Police Commissioners is providing civilian oversight (though with noted limitations)
Community-based interventionists are making deals on behalf of their communities
Outreach workers are maintaining presence and "sticking and staying" in communities

Why it matters

This matters because it addresses fundamental questions about how communities can achieve genuine safety beyond traditional policing models. The discussion reveals that decades of reactive, punishment-focused approaches have failed to address root causes of violence, while underfunded social services and surveillance technology create additional harms without building trust. Detroit's experience shows that community-based violence intervention can succeed when credible messengers with lived experience work within stable, well-resourced programs—but only if accompanied by systematic investments in housing, mental health, and public health infrastructure. The cyclical nature of these debates, spanning from the 1960s to 2020, demonstrates that without addressing underlying inequality and trauma while empowering community-driven solutions and meaningful civilian oversight, cities will continue repeating unsuccessful strategies that erode rather than build public safety.

What's next

Treat violence and inequality as public-health issues (Lassiter recommendation)
Build hyper-local relationships by meeting neighbors, knowing officers, sitting on porches, and planting flowers together (Peterson and Camille recommendation)
Engage with the Board of Police Commissioners as a charter-based lever for public power (Camille recommendation)
Take concrete civic steps including writing opinion pieces and attending meetings (Harvey-Quinn recommendation)
Learn policies and regulations to strategically change systems (Harvey-Quinn recommendation)

Read full article from source: bridgedetroit.com