LANSING, Mich. — In a public meeting focused on crime reduction, Lansing Mayor Andy Schor and Lansing Police Chief Rob Backus highlighted a significant decrease in crime throughout the city in 2024. The leaders celebrated the success, pointing to the coordinated efforts of law enforcement and community groups as crucial to achieving the positive results.
Recent statistics reveal a notable drop in criminal activity compared to the previous year. Shootings were down by 32 percent, while robberies decreased by 27 percent. The Lansing Police Department (LPD) also reported an impressive 88 percent clearance rate for crimes, well above the national average. These numbers have provided hope that crime rates in Lansing can continue to fall, and that the city could see levels of crime lower than ever before.
Chief Rob Backus expressed optimism about the trends, noting the importance of continuing downward momentum. “Hopefully, rather than being at the highest crime rates you’ve ever been, we’re going to start trending downwards,” Backus said. “We’re aiming to reach numbers that we’ve never seen before.”
A key part of the crime reduction effort has been a renewed focus on collaboration between different departments and organizations. The LPD has embraced a more integrated approach to policing, working closely with community groups and other local agencies to share resources, knowledge, and expertise. Backus emphasized that these partnerships have been essential to achieving the results so far.
“Our officers are obviously bound by their departments, but if we’re going to do this right, these partnerships mean everything to us,” Backus explained. “We’re bringing people in and allowing us to go different places and have different skill sets.”
One of the most impactful collaborations has been with community organizations such as Advance Peace and Mikey 23. These groups have built trust within areas of Lansing where law enforcement has faced challenges. Volunteers and activists involved with these organizations are able to engage with individuals involved in criminal activities in ways that uniformed officers may not be able to. According to Backus, these community groups bring invaluable knowledge and understanding of local dynamics, making their involvement critical to the city’s ongoing crime reduction efforts.
“They know how to engage people that are involved in criminal lifestyles, that we don’t know how,” said Backus. “They know names of people that we’ll never know. The idea that we tell them we support them and what they’re doing and we’ll support them any way they need it is key. Letting them do their work because they know how to do it.”
Mayor Schor also expressed satisfaction with the progress made over the past year, but emphasized that the city’s work isn’t done. He expressed a commitment to further reducing crime in 2025 and beyond. “It’s exciting that we’re able to see these numbers,” Schor said. “Our drive is to come back next January and show you further reductions.”
Looking ahead, Schor outlined plans to increase safety measures in the city, including the installation of more cameras throughout Lansing. The mayor believes that upgrading the city’s surveillance technology will be an important tool in deterring crime and helping law enforcement respond quickly and effectively to incidents.
“We’re putting cameras throughout the city, making sure that we are upgrading them so that if something happens, we can respond quickly and have the evidence for the prosecutor,” Schor explained. “We want to make sure we’ve got all the tools.”
City officials are committed to maintaining the partnerships that have contributed to Lansing’s improved safety, and they hope these efforts will lead to lasting changes in the community. By addressing the root causes of crime and providing the right support, the city aims to prevent individuals from turning to crime in the first place.
As Lansing continues to build on these positive trends, both police officials and city leaders remain hopeful that the city can make even greater strides in reducing crime and creating a safer, stronger community for all its residents.
