Operation Clean Sweep

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 Massachusetts State Police, in partnership with federal authorities, local law enforcement, social service agencies, and community groups, will utilize fiscal year 2007 Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Category I Targeting Violent Crime funds to support Operation Clean Sweep. The initiative focuses on decreasing the numbers of gang and gun violence throughout the Commonwealth and increasing shared intelligence information gathered in the State Gang Database. Through the grant, undercover operations including narcotic and gun buy-bust operations from identified gang members and associates, visible roving patrols focusing on gang suppression, the collection and storage of intelligence on individuals involved in gang-related crime in the new Statewide Gang Database, as well as training, will be supported.

CA/CF