Keith: 'Stop Looking the Other Way, Stop Making Excuses' For Criminals You Know

It's time "to shake the fear from our community" about snitching on bad guys, says former journalist Luther Keith, who heads a Detroit coalition of volunteer groups.

"Nothing changes until the entire community stands up to face down the intimidators," he writes in a Free Press guest column.

The executive director of ARISE Detroit!, a nonprofit representing hundreds of community groups, calls for breaking a code of silence that protects lawbreakers. 

The criminals who are shooting, robbing and pillaging have brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, cousins and friends who often know exactly what they are doing. Let's stop looking the other way, stop making excuses and turn them in. . . .

There is a role for everyone to play. Of course, we can use more police officers on the streets, but that is not the entire answer. We need illegal guns off the street, but that is not the entire answer either.

Detroit Mayor David Bing is correct in saying that as a community we must reinforce the value of life and discourage behaviors that support violence and reckless use of firearms. . . .

The seeds for our success are all around us if we are really willing as a community and as individuals to make that commitment.