The Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force 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.

Loudoun County will use 2007 Byrne Discretionary Category One Targeting Violent Crime Initiative funds to support the Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force (Task Force). Plans are underway for the Task Force to continue to enhance its active and proactive enforcement efforts across the region; coordinate and support the gang intelligence system across the region; and work in partnership with the Northern Virginia HIDTA Gang Task Force to combat and prosecute organized gang and drug-related activities. Prevention activities will complement the enforcement efforts with goals to continue a progressive media campaign with associated materials and resources; coordinate ongoing efforts with multidisciplinary crime prevention practitioners through local governments; and build partnerships between law enforcement, youth, and community agencies.

The Task Force will continue utilizing a variety of community-oriented policing techniques in gang suppression efforts, gang investigations, and through information sharing. Prevention activities will focus on continuing to build partnerships through community organizations, schools, and law enforcement agencies. In addition, the grant funds will facilitate securing GangNet, the new regional shared online gang database.

CA/NCF