Every family in Michigan deserves to know that if their loved one or someone in their community is shot, robbed, or murdered, the perpetrator will be identified and brought to justice. That’s a basic promise of public safety. Right now, despite law enforcement’s best efforts, that promise too often goes unfulfilled.

Across the country, clearance rates for violent crimes have fallen sharply over the past few decades. In the 1960s, police solved roughly 90% of murders. Today, according to crime data analyst Jeff Asher, around 60% of murders are solved nationwide. Nonfatal shootings fare even worse; many departments solve fewer than one in five.

Michigan fares worse than the national average. According to state data, just over half of murders in Michigan were cleared in 2024, and just 38% o

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