PONTIAC, Mich. (WXYZ) — The Oakland County Sheriff's Office reports violent crime is down.
The department said, "As recently as 2021, Pontiac reported 48 armed robberies and 15 homicides. So far this year, there have been six reported armed robberies and a single homicide in Pontiac."
Watch Darren Cunningham's video report below:
On Thursday, 7 News Detroit revisited North Hills Farms Apartments, which has had its share of violent crimes in recent years. This time, we relayed the news from the sheriff’s office that violent crime is down in Pontiac.
“When people hear about North Hills Farms, a lot of people get scared to come over here. Now, a lot of people come over here. I see a whole lot of new faces, I see a lot of new U-Hauls coming up in here and people moving up in here. Ya know, it's peaceful,” resident Fredrick Blander said.
Julie Balogh said she believes violent crime is trending down and that she’s pleased with improvements made within her complex to deter crime.
“Those cameras are hooked into Oakland County sheriff's," she gestured. "They’ve been put in the last six months or something like that."
She said there are also cameras for speeding and reading license plates on the property.
“(Deputy) patrols are all the time — constantly, all the time — and they're really good about everything. They're here within three seconds. I've had to call before. They're here in the three seconds,” Balogh said.
April 2024 video report: Six homicides at Pontiac's North Hill Farms apartments in two years, sheriff says
Maj. Andre Ewing leads the Pontiac substation.
“Different areas have flare ups, but it's a reduction everywhere," he said.
7 News Detroit requested and received the following crime statistics:
2021:
- 48 armed robberies
- 15 homicides
2022
- 17 armed robberies
- 12 homicides
2023
- 28 armed robberies
- 8 homicides
2024
- 19 armed robberies
- 11 homicides
2025 to current
- 6 armed robberies
- 1 homicides
“The sheriff took a big interest in reducing crime in Pontiac. He gave us everything we needed: drone as first responders, we created a direct patrol unit that responds to violent crimes immediately, helicopter response and we created a gun task force,” Ewing explained.
City Council President Mike McGuinness and City Councilman Mikal Goodman met 7 News Detroit at North Hill Farms. They explained what it takes to keep the numbers trending in the right direction.
“Those deputies really respond quick. So, suspects when there is some crime that does happen, suspects are apprehended really quickly, crimes are solved really quickly, but what we wanna see is the crime not to happen in the first place, and so the city council has approved funding for intervention in crime. Hopefully, this is a signal that those early investments are making a difference,” McGuinness said.
Goodman also highlighted the need for investments.
“It’s jobs and housing for our people. That way before they end up with what they see as no other choice, there are options for them before we get that far,” Goodman said.
