This was a statement by Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)’s Columbus Field Division, made during an announcement about new domestic gun violence initiatives by the Justice Department, according to a Sept. 19 press release.
Regional U.S. Attorneys and ATF Field Divisions will partner with 78 communities across America to focus “federal efforts to reduce intimate partner gun violence under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022,” the DOJ also announced.
The initiative aims to prioritize prosecutions of offenders of domestic violence who possess an illegal firearm, the DOJ says. They claim they want to target the most dangerous offenders.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department lost one of their own, Officer Breann Leath, in the line of duty during a domestic violence call, according to a DOJ release. From this tragic incident, the Law Enforcement Action to Halt (LEATH) Domestic Violence Initiative was created in October 2020. Indianapolis police and ATF are partnering with the DOJ through the LEATH Initiative to focus resources of federal, state, and local law enforcement on offenders of domestic violence who possess illegal firearms.
Women in the U.S. are 21 times more likely to be killed by a gun than women in other wealthy countries, according to one study. One out of every eight offenders of domestic violence admits to using a gun to intimidate their partner.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced the initiative to focus on domestic violence offenses in a Sept. 13 DOJ press release. Based on the data, the DOJ’s initiative will include rural, suburban, and urban areas, as well as tribal communities where the local law enforcement community is willing to work with the USAO to reduce these crimes.
Garland also shared his concerns on Sept. 17, during his commemoration speech on the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA). He said that $609 million in grants will go toward programs like the most current initiative created under VAWA. Another $600 million will go to helping to promote effective law enforcement and prosecution strategies.
Borrowing from their strategy to reduce violent crime, the DOJ is optimistic that their efforts will save lives by quickly removing abusers from the home and protecting both abuse victims and first responders.
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