Detroit community groups reduce gun violence through independent intervention program

The city of Detroit launched the ShotStopper community violence intervention program in 2023 to combat gun violence across six specific zones.

The program provides community groups with the autonomy to design their own strategies to reduce violence in their neighborhoods. Unlike some other city programs, these groups receive rewards for outperforming citywide trends, allowing them to earn extra funding when shootings in their areas decline more sharply than the city average.

A University of Michigan evaluation found that these areas saw a 33 percent decrease in homicides over the first three years of the program, while the rest of the city saw a 12 percent decrease. Nonfatal shootings in the program zones dropped by 38 percent, compared to a 28 percent drop in other parts of the city.

Different groups within the program use various methods; for example, Force Detroit focuses on those actively involved in shootings, while New Era focuses on community engagement and local events. Team Pursuit uses messengers with direct experience in long-standing gang conflicts to intervene at the street level. The city of Detroit plans to turn this pilot program into a permanent public safety strategy.

While the program was initially funded by federal pandemic relief, the city now uses its general fund and state money to support it. The city council approved an additional 3 million dollars for ShotStopper for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Researchers noted that while the program shows success, the groups still face challenges from underlying social issues and economic disinvestment that require broader solutions.