(WXYZ) — Detroit police will be cracking down on the illegal block parties happening across the city. Police Chief James White says as the weather starts to get warmer, violent crime also goes up, so moving forward residents will have to acquire a city ordinance to have a block party.
It's a simple process and petition that Detroiters would need to fill out. Details on the sheet include the start and end times of the event and police say a majority of the block needs to approve of the event before the ordinance can be submitted to the local precinct.
"You must put in a petition. You must get agreement for a majority of people in the neighborhood or that block that is impacted and approved and submitted to precinct," Director of Health and Public Safety in Detroit Dujuan Zoe said.
Zoe says police have a job to do and that they are required to protect people from violence. At the same time, he also believes the real issue behind the violence requires a more thought-out approach.
"Our aim and goal is to start developing proactive things so when individuals are in a crowd, their discernment and their emotional body, their psychological well-being, is healthy enough to just enjoy themselves," he said.
Zoe says he knows the issues won't be solved overnight when it comes to violent crime, but he hopes DPD's approach doesn't send more young kids to jail but instead offers more guidance and opportunity.
