Hogsett Announces National Anti-violence Summit To Take Place In Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS – Joseph H. Hogsett, the United States Attorney, announced today that in response to the growing violence in Indianapolis, he has organized and convened an anti-violence summit that will take place this summer. Featuring public safety leaders from across the country, the event will address proven anti-violence techniques and strategies. The summit is slated to take place in Indianapolis from September 3rd through September 5th.

“The simple fact is that we cannot banish these senseless acts of violence with a ‘magic bullet’ program or slogan,” Hogsett said. “But across the country, many cities have seen a reduction in murders while Indianapolis has struggled with the worst outbreak of violence in a generation. We must do all we can to bring those successful strategies to the streets of our city.”

Indianapolis has experienced more than 60 homicides in the first five months of the year, a near-record pace of violence. Per capita, the homicide rate for Indianapolis now meets or exceeds a number of larger metropolitan areas across the country, including Chicago and New York. Over this same period of time, the overall national trend has reflected a reduction in homicides.

Hogsett has invited dozens of Department of Justice officials and United States Attorneys from major urban areas around the country to participate in a three-day conversation about “best practices” designed to bring greater safety to Indianapolis neighborhoods. Confirmed panelists include top public safety officials from Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Las Vegas, Seattle, Baltimore, Nashville, Buffalo, Louisville, and Gary, Indiana.

These federal prosecutors are members of the United States’ Department of Justice’s Violent and Organized Crime Committee, and possess a wealth of experience in combatting gun crime, the drug trade, and criminal activity by well-organized gangs. Presentations and panel discussions will feature proven crime prevention programs, effective enforcement techniques, as well as successful re-entry initiatives.

The summit comes as the U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to marshal federal resources to assist local law enforcement efforts in and around Marion County. This includes the continuation and expansion of efforts launched last year in response to the outbreak of violence:

• The utilization of strategic targeting and other long-term investigative techniques aimed at completely dismantling the most destructive criminal enterprises currently operating in Indianapolis.
• The coordination of a one-day statewide drug conference for representatives of federal and local enforcement agencies from across the state to promote greater effectiveness in responding to the rise of heroin abuse on the streets of our cities.
• The hiring of six more criminal prosecutors whose priority will be to coordinate increased levels of collaboration between federal and local law enforcement agencies in Indianapolis and throughout the state.
• The continued implementation of enhanced ballistic information tracking through the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), which assists law enforcement in combatting the illegal trade of firearms.
• The designation of a Special Assistant United States Attorney (SAUSA) to serve as a liaison between the United States Attorney’s Office and the Marion County Prosecutor’s office, coordinating joint investigations and focusing on federally prosecuting violent crime cases in the most violent neighborhoods in the city.

Additional information on the violent crime summit will be released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the coming weeks.