Suggested Participating Members: Block clubs, neighborhood watch members, public housing, emergency service providers (ie. police, fire, etc.), community leaders, and interested citizens and stakeholders

 

Summary of the Issue: Safety is a growing concern within the City of Inkster. Budget constraints have led to extreme reductions in police services, and the population base has become increasingly transient. Poverty has become more concentrated as residents continue to face declining rates of education, staggering unemployment rates, and more homes are headed by single mothers than by two parents. The disintegration of the sense of community – the feeling of a large, extended family that Inkster has always prided itself on - is increasingly being replaced by a sense of isolation within many neighborhoods. The results of these factors are reflected statistically: Neighborhood Scout assigns a crime index of only 6 on a scale of maximum scale of 100 – indicating that 94% of U.S. cities are safer than Inkster. [1] The violent crime rate is reported as 456% greater than the Michigan average and 464% greater than the national average. [2]

 

Safety Data Overview: Crime in Inkster is significantly higher than the national average, and significantly higher than in surrounding communities. For example, the national average rate of violent crime in 2011 was 213, while Inkster’s rate was 1,064.

 

 

[1] NeighborhoodScout- Crime Rates & Crime Statistics, Inkster, MI www.neighborhoodscout.com/mi/inkster/crime (accessed 6/21/13)

 

[2] Inkster, MI Crime Rates & Sex Offenders Report. www.areavibes.com (accessed 7/2/12)

 

PURPOSE: The Inkster Task Force’s Safety Engagement Team exists to coordinate efforts aimed at improving safety within the City of Inkster. Specific indicators have been identified to help gage the effectiveness of our efforts, as described below.