Partnership aims to crack down on violence in Benton Harbor area

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. (WOOD) — Police in Benton Harbor and Benton Township have outlined a new vision of law enforcement and accountability after an busy start to September.

The two departments on Tuesday held a joint press conference featuring community stakeholders from local schools, churches and both municipal governments to announce a new partnership between the police departments and communitywide approach to reducing violence and crime.

“We decided that there is no Benton Township and Benton Harbor,” Benton Township Police Chief Gregory Abrams said. “There’s 49022, and that’s what we are going to work as: for 49022.”

The two departments will now respond to calls on either side of the municipal line, share information and resources at crime scenes and set up a joint tactical unit. They also announced new funding to increase public camera surveillance and technology that will feed those cameras directly to the departments.

The new vision includes commitments from local schools and churches to expand leadership programs for young people as the community rallies together.

It was the shooting death of a 22-year-old at a large party over the weekend that was the final straw for the community — the latest in a string of violence and criminal activity often found at these large parties.

“We want our young people to know it is over,” Benton Township Supervisor Kathy Yates said at the press conference. “You need to find some other form of entertainment because someone’s life was paid last week.”

The agreement came with an emphatic call to action for community members to report criminal activity, violence and illegal gun use to the police.

“The citizens of Benton Harbor and Benton Township see guns in their streets and don’t call, they don’t say anything,” Benton Harbor Director of Public Safety Daniel McGinnis said. “There are more good people than bad guys. We need you to call us and let us know. This is a human issue. It’s not a law enforcement issue. We won’t be able to arrest our way out of this. It takes all of us.”

People who News 8 spoke with in downtown Benton Harbor and in township neighborhoods reacted positively to the news of increased enforcement and community partnerships. They told us it has been a tough 10 days in September and they are excited to do their part in reducing crime in their neighborhoods.

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