WICHITA, KAN. - With Wichita’s violent crime rate significantly above the national average, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister announced today that the Wichita Police Department has been approved to receive special training and technical assistance from the National Public Safety Partnership.
Wichita and nine other jurisdictions are joining the partnership, which gives them access at no cost to specialized law enforcement expertise with dedicated prosecutorial resources to fight their violent crime problems.
“This program, along with Project Safe Neighborhoods, will broaden our partnership with the Wichita Police Department," McAllister said. “We’re putting federal prosecutors on the same team with Wichita police officers."
Over the past three years, Wichita has experienced an increase in violent crime, according to Wichita police officials. Shootings have been steadily increasing since 2014. From 2016 to 2018, the city saw a 31 percent increase in shootings.
Deputy Chief Jose Salcido cited domestic violence and methamphetamine trafficking as factors contributing to the city’s increase in violent crime. He said federal assistance will “help us dig into our own data" to devise effective strategies for reversing the trends.
“The Public Safety Partnership is a successful program that directs federal law enforcement resources to the cities where they can have the greatest impact," Attorney General William P. Barr said. “These resources help police departments to diagnose where crime is highest-and why-and to find, arrest and prosecute criminals. Several participating cities have already seen dramatic reductions in violent crime over the past two years. As we expand this program to 10 more cities across America, we are determined to replicate that success."
The program is a three-year commitment from the Justice Department to deliver assistance. It is not a grant program. Participating law enforcement agencies do not receive direct funding.
The 10 sites announced today are as follows:
* Anniston, Alabama
* Oxford, Alabama
* Anchorage, Alaska
* Davenport, Iowa
* Wichita, Kansas
* Baton Rouge, Louisiana
* Baltimore, Maryland
* Cleveland, Ohio
* Amarillo, Texas
* Harris County, Texas
More than 30 cities have participated in PSP. The primary participating Justice Department components include the Office of Justice Programs, Office on Violence Against Women, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Marshals Service.
More information about PSP can be found at: http://www.nationalpublicsafetypartnership.org.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
