City of Hallandale Targeting Violent Crime Initiative

The Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program, administered by the Office of Justice Programs' (OJP's) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), furthers the Department's mission by assisting state and local jurisdictions in improving the criminal justice system and assisting communities in preventing drug abuse and crime. In fiscal year 2007, the Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program will focus on funding local, regional, and national efforts within six major categories: 1) targeting violent crime; 2) preventing crime and drug abuse; 3) enhancing local law enforcement; 4) enhancing local courts; 5) enhancing local corrections and offender reentry; and 6) facilitating justice information sharing. All categories combat, address, or otherwise respond to precipitous or extraordinary increases in crime, or in a type or types of crime.

The City of Hallandale Beach will support the creation of a 'Street Crimes Unit' funded under Category 1: Targeting Violent Crime to aggressively combat violent crime. The goal of the project is to create a multi-jurisdictional unit to specifically combat violent crime in targeted areas. The targeted areas encompass the municipalities of Hallandale Beach, West Park, and Pembroke Park. This unit will be staffed by police officers from the Hallandale Beach Police Department, the Broward Sheriffs Office, and the Broward County Multi-Agency Gang Task Force. The unit will utilize crime statistics, intelligence, aggressive patrol, surveillance, and confidential informants to identify and arrest violent crime suspects.

CA/NCF