Detroit Police and the Central Business District Launch Project Lighthouse, a New Program Designed to Make Detroit a Safer Place to Live, Work and Visit

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Aug 12, 2011, 09:00 ET

DETROIT, Aug. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Detroit Police Department and more than 20 businesses in the Central Business District are partnering to launch Project Lighthouse, a neighborhood watch courtesy patrol program designed to keep residents, workers and visitors safer in the city, Detroit Police Chief Ralph L. Godbee, Jr. announced today.

The Central Business District encompasses the area from I-375 to the Lodge Freeway, and the Detroit Medical Center to the Detroit River.

Each participating business – known as a lighthouse – has security personnel available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assist those in need. With a simple phone call to 313-471-6490, help will be provided to anyone who is lost, separated from friends, having vehicle trouble or experiencing other safety concerns. In addition, any business displaying a Project Lighthouse logo is considered a safe haven. Project Lighthouse is available to augment, not replace, 9-1-1. Those within the Central Business District who have serious safety concerns should call 9-1-1 first for assistance.

General Motors' Director of Global Corporate Security Mike Bruggeman and Olympia Development Vice President of Security Rick Fenton developed the initial Project Lighthouse concept before taking it to the Detroit Police and others for support. The project is funded by the participating businesses with no cost to the City of Detroit.

"We are fortunate to have strong support from our Project Lighthouse partners who, in addition to sharing their security personnel and financial resources, are also providing the Detroit Police with footage from 300 perimeter security cameras to help us increase our eyes and ears on the ground," said Chief Godbee. "Project Lighthouse is a great example of how police and businesses can partner to make Detroit, or any city, a safer place to be."

Lighthouse Locations

Atheneum Hotel, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Comerica Park, Compuware headquarters in Campus Martius, Detroit Athletic Club, Detroit Medical Center, Detroit Opera House, Detroit Police Headquarters, Detroit RiverFront Conservancy, DTE Energy, Federal Government locations downtown, Ford Field, Fox Theatre, General Motors Renaissance Center, Greektown Casino-Hotel, Hilton Garden Inn, Joe Louis Arena, Marriott Courtyard, MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino Hotel, Wayne County Sheriff locations and Westin Book-Cadillac.

SOURCE General Motors