By working with federal authorities, the Chicago Police Department will have more access to resources which will help bring criminals to justice
- Sen. William Delgado

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Chicago, Illinois – State Senator William Delgado (D-Chicago) is proud to support Mayor Emanuel’s efforts to create a state and federal partnership that will help reduce violence in local communities.

"We need to work together to reduce violence and gun crimes throughout our neighborhoods," stated Senator Delgado. "By working with federal authorities, the Chicago Police Department will have more access to resources which will help bring criminals to justice."

According to Mayor Emanuel’s office, the 7th and 11th Districts accounted for 25 percent of overall crime in the city. In January, the Chicago Police Department announced a new Violence Reduction Initiative aimed at driving down crime in these areas. Preliminary results from this initiative have shown a combined 63 percent drop in murders and 36 percent decrease in shootings since the program began compared to the same time period in 2011.

This partnership will include the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, DEA, ATF, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Together these agencies will be able to collaborate in joint investigations and share information.

"Violence in our communities transcends neighborhood boundaries and must be confronted with every available resource," said Superintendent Garry F. McCarthy. "Alliances with our federal law enforcement partners will extend the reach of our crime-fighting plan and reinforce comprehensive efforts to realize and sustain results in violence reduction."

This new partnership will work in tandem with Project Safe Neighborhoods, an initiative that was started in 2001, to reduce incidences of gun violence in Chicago’s most afflicted neighborhoods. Their comprehensive strategy is designed to prevent youth from committing a gun crime; intervene in the lives of those individuals re-integrating into society following release from prison; and prosecute those individuals who choose to threaten the safety of Chicago’s neighborhoods with guns.