Detroit vows to end crime under-reporting

DETROIT, July 20 (UPI) -- Detroit's new police chief says the city's homicide rate, already the highest in the country, may worsen because crimes will no longer be under-reported.

With 216 people slain in the city so far this year, Detroit's homicide rate is already running 20 percent higher than last year. Police Chief Warren Evans warned the statistical growth rate will likely escalate even further because slayings have been under-reported by as much as 20 percent in past years, The Detroit News reported Monday.

"It's the Wild West out there," Evans told the newspaper, saying one of his top priorities will be a move to end the practice of failing to report all violent crimes.

"It usually happens at shift change," Evans said. "Guys come in the afternoon, and there is a backlog of 25 runs. If they don't get to those calls and don't write a report, the crime never gets counted. That's got to change. That's going to change."

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy told the News he is "buoyed by the fact that the numbers are being examined."

"It is also my earnest hope that they will also take a long hard look at the (homicide) clearance rate as well," he said.