Dearborn Reports 20% Drop in Violent Crime Over Two Years

Dearborn officials announced a 20% decrease in violent crime over the past two years during a press conference on Feb. 10. Burglaries fell 40%. Robberies dropped 22%. Vehicle thefts declined 30% when comparing 2024 to 2025.

Mayor Abdullah Hammoud credited the improvements to increased staffing, new technology, and ongoing investment in public safety. "Crime, especially violent crime and theft of valuable property, has decreased across the city for the last two years," Hammoud said during the press conference at the city's Administrative Center, as shared by MLive.

The city recorded a 14% year-over-year decline in violent crime, which includes robberies and assaults. Assaults dropped 13% from 2024 to 2025, according to a presentation at the event.

Police Chief Issa Shahin said the reductions are unlike anything he has seen during his nearly three decades with the department. "It's really remarkable," Shahin said, as reported by MLive. He credited the results first to officers on patrol, saying, "It's really their dedication and their commitment to this community that's made a difference."

Shahin pointed to recent investments in technology. New Tasers arrived. Flock license-plate reader cameras were installed. A real-time information center opened, and a drone first-responder program launched last week. The department also added translation software on body-worn cameras that allows officers to translate in real time in 56 languages.

"These technologies have been paired with clear policies, training and accountability," Shahin said, as per The Detroit News. "These investments have improved safety and supported more effective policing in our community."

The department is now staffed at 191 officers, a number the city hasn't reached in nearly 20 years. Hammoud said much of the money for technology upgrades comes from the general fund and from civil asset forfeiture seizures, according to The Detroit News.

City Council President Michael Sareini said grants also help fund the upgrades. "We're not just sitting back and waiting. If there's funding available, we're going out and getting it," Sareini said, as shared by The Detroit Free News.

Shahin confirmed that crime classifications for assault, burglary, robbery, and vehicle theft haven't changed in recent years. The reductions are being seen across all neighborhoods in the city.

Hammoud noted that crashes causing bodily injury are down 15% year over year, while citations are up roughly 30%. His city has been recognized as the second-safest large city in Michigan, defined as cities with populations over 100,000.