Speeches

Good afternoon. Thank you, Davis, for the kind words of introduction. I also want to thank the Virginia Bar Association for the invitation to spend time with you today and our hosts, the University of Richmond Law School.

Thank you, U.S. Attorney Ritz. Good afternoon. I am Kristen Clarke, and I lead the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice. 

Good morning. Thank you all for being here to commemorate 22 years since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on our nation.

Last year, the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice came here to Houston and announced our Violent Crime Initiative, which is conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, along with local, state, and federal law enforcement. We promised that we would take on gangs that terrorize Houston residents by surging tools and resources here that we use to investigate and prosecute violent crime nationally. Together with our partners, we made clear that we would complement our prosecutorial efforts with community engagement, because we cannot arrest our way out of this problem. The Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative is a holistic approach to combatting violence, designed to ensure that the worst offenders are prosecuted and that the voice of the community is heard.

Good morning, everyone! It’s wonderful to join you today at the first COSSUP conference – live and in person – since 2020. It is so energizing, so encouraging, to be in this room full of experts and practitioners from all around the country.

Thank you, Karhlton, for that introduction and for your leadership of the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).

Good afternoon. Thank you for the kind introduction, and thank you to the National Action Network, Martin Luther King, III, and Arndrea Waters King for convening this important event.

Good afternoon. I would say thank you for the warm welcome to Omaha, but it is 105 degrees – so thank you for the extremely warm welcome.

Thank you, Senator Murkowski, for the warm welcome to Alaska, for including me in this conversation, and for your leadership on these issues for so many years.

Good morning, everyone. Speaking to the people in the back there. In just a few minutes, the U.S. Attorney and I will meet with the law enforcement officers around the table. I am grateful to all of you for being here. I look forward to our discussion.