Grosse Ile's ranking as the safest place to live in Michigan received a great deal of attention last week.
These lists always generate a great deal of comment - some positive, some negative; many are subjective and easily contested. When the list is generated from hard data compiled by the Department of Justice and FBI, it is tough to argue.
Is that good for Grosse Ile? Of course. Not to be discounted is that neighboring communities in Riverview (#8) and Trenton (#18) also ranked highly, and Woodhaven and Wyandotte ranked well.
If the List had included Cities/Townships fewer than 10,000 in population, other neighbors - Gibraltar, Rockwood, etc. - would have appeared high on the list.
What the crime statistics say is this: the physical envelope comprised of Communities bordering the Trenton Channel is a darned safe place - whether to live, work or visit.
The incidence of crime is low because our residents share critical core values - including respect for one another's person and property. Can these rankings be maintained indefinitely without a strategy of economic development and job creation for the area? Absolutely not – and that needs to be addressed.
But today, from Wyandotte to Flat Rock, we have something to celebrate, to be proud of - and to build upon in creating a positive brand for the Downriver area.
