Deputy Attorney General Monaco Addresses DOJ Annual Crime Gun Intelligence Center Conference

Deputy AG Monaco: Good morning, everyone. It’s great to join you from  Washington for day two of the   Crime Gun Intelligence Center Annual Conference. I hope yesterday was terrific. And I’m grateful to Chief Morales and the  Miami Police Department for hosting this   year’s training – and to President Jim Burch and  his team at the National Policing Institute, the   Bureau of Justice Assistance, and ATF for their  collaboration and leadership to make this happen. As leaders across law enforcement, you  are at the forefront of the effort to   reverse the violent crime uptick that  started during the pandemic in 2020.  I know each of you and your teams  have worked tirelessly to respond   to that uptick in your own jurisdictions. Since 2021, the Justice Department has  been executing a comprehensive strategy to   reduce violent crime — a strategy rooted in local  communities like yours and built on four pillars:  1) Focusing on the most significant drivers of  violent crime — like violent repeat offenders; 2) Building trust in the communities we serve; 3) Investing in community-based  prevention and intervention programs; and 4) Measuring the results of our efforts by  impact, through actual decreases in violent crime. And at the Department of Justice, we’re focused  on supporting you by doing what we do best: Serving as a force multiplier for our  state and local law enforcement partners.  That means bringing the resources needed to go   after the most significant  drivers of violent crime. It means surging personnel where it’s most needed. And it means investing in technology  and innovative, data-driven strategies. Thanks to the hard work of local, state, and  federal law enforcement, our violent crime   reduction strategy is paying real dividends across  the country – including in cities like Miami. Last year, violent crime decreased,  on average, by almost 6% nationwide. Murders were down 13%. Early numbers this year indicate the positive  trends are continuing – with murders down more   than 26% in the first quarter of 2024  compared to the same period last year. An essential ingredient to this  life-saving trend is one you know   well – and it brings you here  today: crime gun intelligence. From Pitt County, North Carolina to Pinal County,  Arizona and from Chattanooga to Chicago – you’re   coming together across all levels of law  enforcement to keep people safe from gun violence. Crime gun intelligence centers  epitomize the ‘one team,   one fight’ approach that makes  good law enforcement great. With U.S. Attorneys’ Offices,  ATF, your colleagues, and others   working shoulder to shoulder, under one  roof – you’re swiftly generating more leads. You’re identifying the most dangerous trigger  pullers and taking them off the streets. And you’re pushing case-closure rates  up and driving violent crime down. Despite real progress, though,  this work is far from over. Every community is touched by gun violence. So,   every community stands to benefit  from crime gun intelligence. As you’ve experienced, the return on  investment for CGICs is profound – it’s   measured in lives saved, families  united, and streets made safer. Just yesterday, the Attorney General  was in Cleveland opening a new CGIC. A couple months ago, I was in  Chicago to announce an expanded site.  So, I want to be clear: CGICs are  a Department of Justice priority. We need to bring more crime gun intelligence  to more law enforcement agencies, in more   jurisdictions, more quickly than ever before —  from the smallest towns to the biggest cities. Together, you are testament to  the power of these investments. But we know there’s still much more to be done. The current budget from Congress  cuts critical resources for the   Department of Justice to further this priority. But now’s not the time to hit the brakes  – now’s the time to step on the gas. Because we know crime gun intelligence works.  And by investing in it, we can keep more  communities safe – which is what they deserve. It’s as simple as that. To close out, I want to express my gratitude to  all of you for paving the way on this issue – for   your commitment to this training, and  for all you do for your communities. On behalf of the Department of Justice –  thank you for your service — and for the   sacrifices you make every day alongside  your fellow law enforcement officers. We’re so proud to stand with you. Enjoy day two – and keep leading the way.