The U.S. Attorney’s Office will collaborate with local partners to reduce domestic violence. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has approved 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022.
The Justice Department, through its United States Attorney’s offices (USAOs) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Divisions, will partner with each designated jurisdiction to create plans to reduce intimate partner firearm violence. They will also prioritize the prosecution of domestic violence offenders prohibited from owning firearms under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g).
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Attorney General Garland stated, “Today, I designated an initial set of 78 communities across the country, with more to follow, where we will surge Department resources to combat firearm violence against intimate partners and children.”
In the Eastern District of Tennessee, the City of Chattanooga was designated. United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III expressed support for the initiative, emphasizing the strong cooperation between federal and state law enforcement in Chattanooga. He stated, “Our office supports the Department of Justice’s designation of Chattanooga as a community where federal prosecutors and agents will continue to work beside our local counterparts and community stakeholders to further target the most violent individuals, including violent domestic abusers.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge, Marcus Watson, highlighted the significant role firearms play in violent crimes, particularly domestic violence. Watson affirmed ATF’s commitment to aggressively pursuing prohibited possession of firearms due to domestic violence convictions.
The United States Attorney’s Office regularly assists in prosecuting violent individuals who illegally possess firearms. Federal prosecutors collaborate with Chattanooga-area assistant district attorneys general to maximize effective prosecution of firearms crime in both state and federal court. It is estimated that at least 50 percent of individuals identified for federal prosecution for these offenses have a previous domestic violence arrest or conviction.
Designated areas include rural, suburban, urban, and Tribal communities. This designation represents the partnership between the Justice Department and local jurisdictions to leverage federal resources effectively to address intimate partner firearm violence.
The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated as USAOs continue to coordinate with local stakeholders. All USAOs will continue to combat intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecution of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime.
For more details, visit the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime.
Complete List of Jurisdictions as of September 11, 2024:
– Montgomery County, Alabama
– Jefferson County, Alabama
– Little Rock, Arkansas
– Washington County, Arkansas
– Fresno, California
– San Diego, California
– Hartford, Connecticut
– Ward 7, District of Columbia
– Jacksonville, Florida
– Alachua County, Florida
– Metro Miami-Dade County, Florida
– Macon-Bibb County, Georgia
– DeKalb County, Georgia
– Augusta, Georgia
– City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii
– Ada County, Idaho
– Danville, Illinois
– Rockford, Illinois
– Madison County, Illinois
– Gary, Indiana
– Indianapolis, Indiana
– Des Moines, Iowa
– Linn County, Iowa
– Garden City, Kansas
– Fayette County, Kentucky
– Louisville, Kentucky
– Orleans Parish, Louisiana
– Rapides Parish, Louisiana
– Western Maine Region: Franklin, Oxford, and Androscoggin Counties, Maine
– Baltimore City, Maryland
– Boston, Massachusetts
– Saginaw, Michigan
– Lansing, Michigan
– Greenville, Mississippi
– Jackson, Mississippi
– Cape Girardeau County, Missouri
– Greene County, Missouri
– Gallatin County and Bozeman, Montana
– Northeast Omaha, Nebraska
– Las Vegas, Nevada
– Strafford County, New Hampshire
– Bernalillo County, New Mexico
– Borough of Brooklyn, New York
– Onondaga County, New York
– Borough and County of the Bronx, New York
– Monroe County, New York
– Fayetteville and Cumberland County, North Carolina
– Forsyth County, North Carolina
– Asheville (including Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians), North Carolina
– Grand Forks, North Dakota
– Toledo, Ohio
– Muskogee County, Oklahoma
– Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma
– Portland, Oregon
– Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
– Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
– Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
– San Juan, Puerto Rico
– Pawtucket, Rhode Island
– Greenville County, South Carolina
– Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota
– City of Chattanooga, Tennessee
– Memphis/Shelby County, Tennessee
– Gregg County, Texas
– Amarillo, Texas
– Houston, Texas
– San Antonio, Texas
– Salt Lake County, Utah
– South Hampton Roads (Chesapeake/Norfolk/Portsmouth/Virginia Beach), Virginia
– Oswald Harris Court Housing Community, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
– Chittenden County, Vermont
– Spokane County, Washington
– King County, Washington
– Wheeling Area (Ohio/Brooke/Hancock Counties), West Virginia
– Kanawha County, West Virginia
– Milwaukee, Wisconsin
– Dane County, Wisconsin
– Fremont County, Wyoming
Source: Read Original Release
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