Opinion | Voting is crime prevention. How the polls advance public safety

Over the past six years, politicians, including the President, have used fear of crime as political leverage in an attempt to push voters to their side of the aisle, but people are seeing through it and tired of these old tactics as well as disparaging cities, with one being Detroit which has seen some of the lowest crime levels in recent years.

A woman poses in front of a banner — Alyshia M. Dyer is Washtenaw County sheriff. (Courtesy photo)

We are exhausted from all of the “tough on crime” noise and scapegoating communities for political gain by trying to paint them constantly in a negative light.

As Michiganders prepare for one of the most important elections in our lives, we are all seeing over $100 million spent on crime ads reinforcing harmful rhetoric. I encourage my friends and neighbors to, of course, consider public safety when determining their vote, not out of the fear any ads try to stir up, but out of an understanding of the comprehensive progress we have made across Michigan and the critical investments we need to continue focusing on to create a safer, stronger future for all of us.

After more than a decade in law enforcement and leading criminal justice reforms in my community in Washtenaw, I know how closely safety ties to quality of life, opportunity and poverty. When folks are cared for, communities have resources and aren’t ignored and first responders have the support they need to handle serious crime and safety hazards effectively, neighborhoods become safer and better places to live.

The 350,000 people that I serve as Washtenaw County Sheriff don’t want to be told to live in fear of their neighbors. They want real solutions. Solutions for rising rents, rising gas prices, data centers and childcare costs. Solutions for their loved ones who need mental health and substance use treatment. Solutions for our families and educators thinking about the safety of our schools.

I firmly believe a majority of Michiganders want elected leaders who support our decorated public servants serving in law enforcement who put their lives on the line every day, and who also understand that public safety is about more than just policing alone. It must include investments in local communities, treatment, education and simply meeting people where they are at to improve their lives.

Community living conditions are also first responders’ working conditions. When people can’t afford healthcare or mental health treatment, it often falls to law enforcement to respond. You won’t find a police officer who doesn’t have a story about responding to someone in a mental health crisis or someone having an overdose.

In Washtenaw County, our community violence intervention work has helped drive some of the steepest crime declines in the state. Our WeLIVE program works with victims directly impacted by gun violence, offering employment support, mental health services, mentorship and so much more. The results have proven again and again that this work is valuable and impactful: 95% of

community members who participated in WeLIVE were not involved in gun violence and 88% did not experience incarceration.

It’s important to mention that this clear correlation between community investment and public safety progress does not end with my county either.

Detroit has seen a 45% decrease in homicides and nonfatal shootings over three years after increasing support for community violence intervention programs. The program hires and funds local organizations to de-escalate and disrupt gun violence; the results speak for themselves: Detroiters are experiencing some of the lowest crime rates in 60 years.

Crime across our state continues to fall, a decline that started well before President Trump took office. When looking at historical trends in Washtenaw County, crime is falling, and this matches trends all over the state in places like Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Lansing. While numbers don’t explain it all, what’s clear is investments in front end prevention and nontraditional and traditional policing provides comprehensive improvements to public safety.

We need partners in public office who see this work as valuable and who understand that police should absolutely be focused on preventing violence and serious crimes, but not expected to handle every single crisis in society by ourselves. While you may get sent mailers, texts or ads trying to stoke fear and inflame tensions, know that some of these groups aren’t interested in making public safety, they’re interested in dividing us and using fear mongering as a political tool.

If you are a Michigan voter who is still undecided about voting this cycle, I want you to know that community safety is on the ballot in 2026. Progress that is not guaranteed without elected leadership who puts our communities first.

Michiganders know the truth about public safety, and I hope they will take that truth to the polls.