The Justice Department has designated Indy for focused federal efforts to reduce domestic gun violence under the Violence Against Women Act.
The Justice Department will partner with Indy’s designated jurisdiction to execute a plan to reduce firearm violence and to prioritize domestic violence offenders who violate federal firearms laws. This effort will increase coordination and target the most dangerous offenders, according to the Justice Department.
In the Southern District of Indiana, the US Attorney’s Office partnered with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) through the Law Enforcement Action to Halt Domestic Violence (LEATH) Initiative, named after IMPD officer Breann Leath, who was killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic disturbance call.
The US Attorney’s Office has also partnered with the City of Indianapolis to assign a Special Assistant United States Attorneys to prosecute violent crimes in federal court.
“IMPD remains steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that all relationships are free from violence, as every member of our community deserves to live in safety and without fear,” IMPD Chief Chris Bailey said.
Chosen communities have been designated in communication with community stakeholders and range from urban, suburban, rural to Tribal communities. The Justice Department used data to identify communities that could benefit from an increased focus on domestic gun violence.
For more information, visit justice.gov.
To read more stories about gun violence, click here.
Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
Hanna Rauworth is the Health & Environmental Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper, where she covers topics at the intersection of public health, environmental issues, and community impact. With a commitment to storytelling that informs and empowers, she strives to highlight the challenges and solutions shaping the well-being of Indianapolis residents.
