Detroit Launches First-Ever Neighborhood and Community Safety Office

The new office will focus on violence prevention and community transformation efforts.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield has announced the city's first Office of Neighborhood and Community Safety. The office will bring together existing community violence intervention groups and provide them with resources and support to more effectively serve their local communities. The office's executive director, Teferi Brent, says the goal is to address the root causes of violence and prevent crimes from happening in the first place.

Why it matters

This new office represents a shift in Detroit's approach to public safety, moving away from traditional law enforcement methods and towards a more holistic, community-based model. By empowering and resourcing grassroots organizations that are already doing the work, the city hopes to make a bigger impact on reducing violence and transforming communities.

The details

The Office of Neighborhood and Community Safety will serve as a hub for various programs focused on survivor advocacy, group violence intervention, conflict resolution, re-entry from incarceration, and the reduction of domestic violence. The office's executive director, Teferi Brent, has been doing this work in Detroit for decades and is now bringing it in-house to the city. Organizations like Force Detroit and Live In Peace Movement that are already embedded in their communities say this office will be pivotal in helping them expand their impact.

  • The new office was announced on February 23, 2026, as part of Mayor Mary Sheffield's first 100 days in office.

The players

Mayor Mary Sheffield

The mayor of Detroit who promised to create this new office as part of her first 100 days in office.

Teferi Brent

The executive director of the new Office of Neighborhood and Community Safety, who has been doing this work in Detroit for decades.

Force Detroit

A community organization working to intervene in violent conflicts and transform communities in Detroit.

Live In Peace Movement

A Detroit-based organization focused on community transformation and violence reduction.

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What they’re saying

“We will remove the silos that have historically prevented neighborhood-based organizations from accessing the resources and tools they need to effectively service communities in which they operate.”

— Teferi Brent, Executive Director, Office of Neighborhood and Community Safety (cbsnews.com)

“We have to address the social determinants of violence at its core with every resource we can muster. To put it in my grandmama's terms, an ounce of prevention is always better than a pound of cure.”

— Teferi Brent, Executive Director, Office of Neighborhood and Community Safety (cbsnews.com)

“We play our role in intervening in violent conflicts, but one of the most important parts in having support from the mayor is community transformation.”

— Dujuan Zoe Kennedy, Executive Director, Force Detroit (cbsnews.com)

“We are coming from boots on the ground to the city. Those who would have been arrested before, those who would have been prosecuted, we are asking you to come into it. They have now flipped the script and let us be a part of this thing.”

— Pastor Maurice Hardwick, Founder, Live In Peace Movement (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

The new Office of Neighborhood and Community Safety will begin operations in the coming months, with a focus on building partnerships with existing community organizations and developing new programs and initiatives to address the root causes of violence in Detroit.

The takeaway

Detroit's new Office of Neighborhood and Community Safety represents a shift towards a more holistic, community-based approach to public safety. By empowering and resourcing grassroots organizations that are already doing the work, the city hopes to make a bigger impact on reducing violence and transforming communities from the ground up.