Detroit police roll out new Neighborhood Response Team to crack down on illegal block parties

(CBS DETROIT) - The Detroit Police Department's new Neighborhood Response Team reported for the first roll call Friday night.

According to DPD, they've responded to over 500 block parties in only 30 days. They also say they're becoming increasingly violent, and illegal parties are happening across Detroit. It's a growing problem that came to a head when two people were killed and 19 others were shot at a party last weekend.

Detroit Police Chief James White told the new assembly of 80 from across DPD, "Let's get out there and keep this city safe."

"We're shutting it down," Chief Charles Fitzgerald added. "We're going to be friendly, and we're going to be professional, but we're shutting them down."

The officers who are part of the initiative come from multiple divisions and precincts, including the gang crimes unit. According to the DPD, they're meant to be a first line of defense in stopping out-of-control pop-up parties before they become deadly. "We certainly see a sharp increase in outdoor activities during the summertime," Commander Michael Parish told CBS News Detroit, who rode along as he patrolled city streets Friday night. "A key aspect of this initiative is to stop the problem before it turns into something more serious."

The officers on the streets will rely heavily on the information gathered at DPD's Real Time Crime Center, located downtown. However, they say this is only one part of a layered approach that will be necessary to stop the problems in Motor City.

"The community is our best partner in this thing, and the Neighborhood Response Team gives us a way to interface with them in a non-enforcement environment," Sgt. John Stewart said. "We have to stop them from holding our neighborhoods hostage."