Whitmer announces Operation Safe Neighborhoods reaches new milestone with over 1,000 illegal guns off the street
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LANSING- On Monday, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced over 1,000 illegal guns have been taken off the streets as part of Operation Safe Neighborhoods. Since the operation began, law enforcement officials have conducted more than 11,000 check-ins with felony offenders, leading to over 1,000 illegal guns taken off the street. During sweeps, officers have also recovered illegal drugs and ammunition.
"Operation Safe Neighborhoods is reducing violence in our communities and helping every Michigander feel safe," said Governor Whitmer. "I'm proud of the partnership between state and local law enforcement to get more than 1,000 illegal firearms off of our streets. Our investments in public safety have helped drive violent crime down 11% over the last 5 years. Together, we're protecting our communities, holding criminals accountable, and building a safer Michigan for all."
Operation Safe Neighborhoods is a statewide crackdown on crime aimed at reducing gun violence by getting illegal guns off the street and out of the hands of people who cannot legally possess a gun due to prior criminal history.
"We see real, tangible differences in our communities when we lock in and deploy initiatives like this with our partners at the Michigan Department of Corrections," said Col. James F. Grady II, director of the Michigan State Police. "Removing guns from individuals who cannot legally possess them means we are one step closer to ensuring they cannot be used to inflict violence against our neighbors and loved ones."
"Removing over 1,000 illegally possessed guns from our communities is a testament to the dedication of our parole and probation agents and law enforcement partners across Michigan," said MDOC Director Heidi E. Washington. "Every firearm recovered represents a potential act of violence prevented. Operation Safe Neighborhoods is making our communities safer for the families and people we serve."
Nearly one in three reported violent crimes in Michigan involve a firearm. This initiative builds on Governor Whitmer's MI Safe Communities program that she launched in 2021 to invest in local police, get illegal guns off the street, and fund expanded opportunities in jobs, education, and the justice system.
About Operation Safe Neighborhoods
Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) parole and probation agents team up with local law enforcement across the state and conduct enhanced compliance checks on probationers and parolees who are legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
There are roughly 32,000 probationers and 8,600 parolees in the state, many of whom have been convicted previously of a gun crime. These individuals are supervised by more than 1,000 MDOC parole and probation agents. The plan the department devised and implemented focuses on high-risk individuals who have weapons possession in their criminal history that could be used to commit further crime.
Governor Whitmer's Public Safety Investments
Since taking office, Governor Whitmer has worked closely with local leaders, law enforcement officers, and community organizations to ensure people feel safe in their neighborhoods. The governor has signed eight balanced, bipartisan budgets, each making record investments to help communities fund local law enforcement departments and hire more first responders.
Since taking office, Governor Whitmer has invested nearly $2 billion into public safety. This year's budget includes $50 million for Public Safety Revenue Sharing grants to provide cities, villages, and townships with additional resources for police services and to support community violence intervention efforts and $3.25 million for community violence intervention grants to reduce gun violence and save lives.
In April 2023, Governor Whitmer signed commonsense gun violence prevention bills establishing universal background checks for all firearm purchases and safe storage requirements. In May 2023, Governor Whitmer signed bills establishing extreme risk protection orders in Michigan, ensuring police officers, health care professionals, and family members concerned about someone who may harm themselves or others can seek a court order to temporarily confiscate their firearms. In November 2023, Governor Whitmer signed bills disallowing convicted domestic abusers from owning firearms. In June 2024, Governor Whitmer signed ED 2024-4 to establish the Michigan Gun Violence Prevention Task Force to further work in gun violence reduction. This year's budget includes $2.5 million to continue the work of the statewide gun violence prevention task force.