AMUS Members Fight Crime in Midtown Detroit

Hello! My name is Epic George and I am a member of the AmeriCorps Urban Safety Project (AMUS) operating through Wayne State University's Center for Urban Studies. The main objective of AMUS is to reduce crime and increase public safety in the Midtown Detroit area surrounding the Wayne State University campus. Since 2010, AMUS has reduced crime in the area by 38 percent and crime is still declining.

Some of the major tools we use to reduce crime are block clubs, the local police, local businesses, and statistical data. As a community of concerned citizens for Detroit, we are working towards eliminating blight by boarding-up open and vacant buildings and cleaning lots that are covered in trash and debris.

Organizing the block clubs help us connect to the residents in the neighborhoods that we service. By connecting with the residents, we are able to connect them with their neighbors and the local police. The efforts of many business owners in the area also provide a great support system which creates the necessary network that is needed to reduce crime and increase public safety in the Midtown Detroit area.

This network came together in full force for the MLK Day of Service. On January 21, AMUS members joined together with communities members as they created a safer route to school for kids in the north end of Detroit. Thanks to the hard work of nearly 400 volunteers, Wayne State University, local residents, community leaders, and local business, our efforts allowed up to board-up and clean the lots of approximately 14 homes.

AMUS held a second 2013 board- and clean-up event on Friday, February 15. This project was funded by Midtown Detroit Inc, whose support allowed members of AMUS to eliminate the use of one of Detroit’s most dangerous buildings. The large building was accompanied by a carriage house and garage that was the site for recent violent crimes in the area. Nearly 30 AMUS members, community volunteers, and students worked for hours to clean the area and board-up the buildings. 

During the clean-up, many local residents stopped to thank us for our efforts and the work we were doing to clean up the city and reduce crime. They shared their stories and expressed happiness that we were making their neighborhood safer. However, just knowing that I am a part of a fantastic program that is focused on public safety is the greatest reward ever.