Even though violent crime has been falling fast in Detroit over the last decade, the city still has a crime rate that’s one of the highest in the nation.  

Every year, police recover about 6,000 illegal guns in Detroit. Yet legal gun ownership is also common in the city, a reflection of how deeply concerns about safety and self-protection run through daily life.

To try to prevent crime before it happens, Detroit police end up stopping people for nonviolent offenses. A Detroit Free Press investigation found that about 20% of those stops ended in foot chases and police shootings. 

Those findings stress the question: what is the police’s obligation to stop crime before it happens in a place where many don’t feel safe and guns are plentiful?

To explore this, investigative Detroit Free Press reporter Violet Ikonomova spoke with Robyn Vincent about her recent reporting on police shootings that began with stops for nonviolent offenses.