by Jessica Jones
Local and federal law enforcement announced their partnership in an initiative called Smart on Crime, led by the Bureau of Alcohol and Tobacco Firearms and Explosives to decrease incidents of gun violence in the Birmingham area.
United States Attorney Joyce Vance announced the importance of the partnership in a brief statement to the press.
“Our community is covered up in gun violence and it’s unacceptable,” Attorney Vance, said. “It’s time for us to take it on and challenge it. The Department of Justice is engaged in a strategy called Smart on Crime and essentially that involves partnerships between federal and local groups to attack violence problems where we find them: in the neighborhoods, on the streets, and to get people who use guns in our community in jail where they belong.”
Attorney Vance also stressed the importance of anonymous tips to law enforcement when citizens are witness to criminal activity.
“Because of the forward leaning work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms,” she said, “We’re announcing a partnership that will bring information to our community, letting people know how to use tip lines to advise law enforcements about criminal activities so that that the communities, in essence, can take control of their own safety and help us make communities safer for the people who live in them.”
While the city is still making progress, Mayor William Bell commended the diligence and commitment of local law enforcement to decrease local gun violence.
“Our communities all throughout the state of Alabama have been plagued by a plethora of guns on the street and these guns lead to no good deeds,” Mayor Bell said. “It is through the hard work of the ATF, the hard work of the United States Attorney office, our DA office, our sheriff department and our own police department that today we’re announcing this collaboration to make sure we do all that we can to curb gun violence on our streets.”
The mayor expressed his hope for the collaboration’s success and made a personal promise to the city for its safety.
“This collaboration will yield great benefits to our citizens to let them know that they are not forgotten, let them know that our deepest concern is to build stronger neighborhoods, neighborhoods that are free from violence, neighborhoods that can prosper and grow,” Mayor Bell said. “So I’m happy to be a part of this front line effort. “As mayor of this great city, I pledge to work diligently to make sure that we live up to the commitment that we have made to our citizens to make them feel safe and protected. “
To report any criminal activity or to learn more about Crime Stoppers please visit www.crimestoppersmetroal.com.
To learn more about the Smart on Crime initiative, please visit http://www.besmartoncrime.org.
