DETROIT — Detroit Police seem to have turned a corner in preventing and closing homicide cases, according to data released by Mayor Dave Bing and Detroit Police Chief Warren Evans at a news conference Oct. 26.

In the third quarter of 2009, Detroit Police recorded 96 criminal homicides, compared to 111 in the third quarter of 2008.

The drop shows a dramatic improvement from the previous quarter, in which the number of homicides nearly doubled from 65 in the second quarter of 2008 to 120 during the same period in 2009.

Bing appointed Evans, former Wayne County Sheriff, in July, at the beginning of the third quarter.

“This is done by citizens,” Evans said about the improvements. “Please engage us… we are trying to be more collaborative not only with other agencies but with the citizens of the City of Detroit. Give us a chance. Call and give us information… there is evidence that that is starting to work. We’ve got a long way to go but that is starting to work.”

The percentage of homicide cases to be closed also nearly doubled from 31.5 percent in July, August and September of 2008 to 60.4 during the same period in 2009.

The same year-over-year comparison had shown a drop in closure rates during the previous two quarters.