Mayor's challenge to Detroiters: We must stop 'us killing us'

He vows war on crime in State of City speech

David Josar and Amy Lee / The Detroit News

DETROIT -- Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick had a heart-to-heart with Detroiters Tuesday night, vowing to put another 200 cops on the streets but challenging the African-American community to assume responsibility for the city's growing crime rate, and helping stanch it.

"We have come to a point in our community where this is no outside conspiracy doing this to us," he said in a State of the City address to a ticketed audience of about 2,200 at the Max M. Fisher Music Center.

"This is us killing us. This is mostly African-Americans killing African-Americans and we, as a community, have to stop it now. Nobody's coming to save us."

He called on Detroit's clergy members to "stand up" and do their part. And he challenged parents to get engaged, too.

"It's not just the mayor's problem," he said. "I fully accept my responsibility in it. But I can't do this on my own. I need, and we need, an aroused, engaged and mobilize community."

Kilpatrick's message was the same "that every preacher in this city articulates every Sunday morning," said the Rev. Wendell Anthony, president of the Detroit branch of the NAACP. "He's saying everybody needs to get on board to stop the violence in the city, in the suburbs and in the rural communities to inspire and improve the quality of life."

Kilpatrick ordered Police Chief Ella Bully-Cummings to work with Detroit Public Schools to send the police gang squad into schools. And he vowed to put desk cops -- even Bully-Cummings -- on "regular" patrol in hot spots, and to send SWAT units into high-crime areas.

That drew a 30-second standing ovation from the audience, and tears from Iris Essex, 35, who attended the speech with her two sons, ages 6 and 16. Bullying forced Essex to move her 16-year-old son to new schools twice this year, and she went to Kilpatrick's speech to gauge his compassion for Detroit students.

"Gang squads have the training and expertise to handle brutality in the schools," she said. "I had thought about leaving, but after what I just heard I might stick around."

Kilpatrick, however, didn't let Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm off the hook. The mayor, whose relations with Granholm have not always been warm, said Detroit expects its "fair share" of money she has promised to demolish abandoned buildings, and to be a part of her plan to create five high schools for nursing.

Granholm's press secretary, Liz Boyd, said "we look forward to working with the mayor and agree with him that Detroit's success is directly linked to Michigan's success." Boyd said Detroit will get its share of demolition money, and two of the nursing high schools will be in Detroit.

He calls on black men to lead

The mayor, in a measured and conciliatory address, promised to provide job training to Detroiters, but said participants must go to class and pass drug tests. And he challenged African-American males to step up.

"Men of Detroit, the time is now for us to take the open-hearted and courageous way. It's time for you to make the first move. It's time for all of us to lead," Kilpatrick said.

Those were welcome words to Detroiter Marcus Harris, a 29-year-old information technology analyst and University of Michigan MBA student and mentor.

"I'm a believer in the city and we need more men to step forward and be role models," said Harris, who volunteers through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Detroit and attended the speech.

"More men have to do more," said Harris. "I believe in what Kwame is doing, and I believe the city can turn around."

Kilpatrick's speech also got a thumbs-up from a key suburban leader, Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson. He called it a "grand slam."

"He hit the right chords. It was fire and brimstone," Patterson said.

The mayor's comments on crime, he said, were dead on.

"He really took residents to task on it. He didn't blame outsiders for it," Patterson said.

He touts neighborhood plan

The mayor cited several ongoing housing development projects as proof of Detroit's progress.

He cited Jefferson Village on the east side and a two-pronged development on the east riverfront that eventually will have 600 units with shops and restaurants.

Kurt Metzger, director of research for United Way of Southeastern Michigan, said those initiatives are "pretty hit or miss," and concentrated in the midtown and downtown areas and in already stable neighborhoods. "While the downtown is taken care of, most citizens live in the neighborhoods," Metzger said. "If the city is going to be really successful, it's going to be built from its neighborhoods, not built on downtown."

Kilpatrick said final plans are under way targeting improvements in six areas, his Detroit Neighborhoods Initiative, and that program will begin in May.

Shadia Ball, 19, who moved from Detroit to Rochester Hills last year to escape crime and litter, liked what she heard but was skeptical. "This city needs more than just a few clubs downtown," said Ball, an Oakland University communications major. "I hope he can do it."

Not everyone was satisfied with Kilpatrick's performance, or his priority list. Outside the Music Center, about 50 water department workers picketed, some carrying signs that said "Flush Kilpatrick." The demonstrators said they were upset over the mayor's previous job and wage cuts.

"The mayor has to bring in revenue. Cutting jobs and bringing in outside contractors doesn't work," said John Riehl, president of the ASCME local that represents water department workers.

Kilpatrick made little mention of regional efforts to bring rapid mass transit to the city, which is the nation's largest urban area without mass transit. Several regional groups, including the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, have landed study grants with the goal of eventually building a system with light rail, rapid buses or commuter rail lines.

The lack of detail disappointed Megan Owens, executive director of Transportation Riders United, a nonprofit transit advocacy group.

"There seems to be a strong, regional consensus about that right now, so it is sort of surprising for him not to discuss transit," she said.

Budget presentation is next

In a few weeks, Kilpatrick said he will present the City Council with a balanced budget that will include a plan to finally eliminate a $96 million deficit.

The plan will not raise city taxes, but will include money for capital improvements. The mayor has talked about a $1 billion bond issue for tax cuts and improvements.

His spokesman, Matt Allen, said Kilpatrick's budget will provide the financial wherewithal to hire the 200 additional cops he promised -- about $14 million annually. Of the 200 officers, 100 are vacancies that have yet to be filled and an additional 100 will be funded with cash saved through turnovers, said Christine Beatty, the mayor's chief of staff. Officers who were laid off to help alleviate the city's deficit have been rehired.

Detroit News Staff Writers Charlie Cain and Orlandar Brand-Williams contributed to this report. You can reach David Josar at (313) 222-2073 or djosar@detnews.com.