FLINT — Two months ago, state Rep. Sheldon Neeley (D-Flint) called on the city of Flint to establish a Major Crimes Task Force following an uptick in homicides. Since that time the violence has continued, without mobilization to combat the increase in gun-related crime, including several incidents this weekend. After this weekend’s incidents, Rep. Neeley issued the following statement:
“When I called for the task force two months ago, I was ignored by city officials who said I didn’t know what I was talking about and insisted crime was down. Since that time, we’ve had increasing numbers of murders and gun-related violence. City officials need to be proactive, not reactive, in protecting the people of Flint. So many of us are outraged after being ignored by those in power — not only myself but police officers and community members who called for the same thing. That is why I am reasserting my request for a major crimes unit and call on the city to take this matter seriously because we need to start stopping these tragedies before they start. One deficit that we will never overcome is – a death deficit – we have to be proactive, and it shouldn’t take senseless deaths to get us moving in a positive direction for true crime reduction.”