NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:  Wednesday, June 22, 2005

HARTFORD MAYOR EDDIE PEREZ ANNOUNCES THE CREATION OF THE NEW NORTHEAST VIOLENCE REDUCTION INITIATIVE TO ADDRESS THE TROUBLING INCREASE IN VIOLENCE IN THE NORTHEAST DISTRICT OF THE CITY.

(Hartford) - Hartford Mayor Eddie A. Perez and Police Chief Patrick J. Harnett today provided details of the Hartford Police Department's Northeast Violence Reduction Initiative aimed at reducing violent gun and narcotic activity in the Clay Arsenal, Northeast, and Upper Albany neighborhoods.

The HPD's Northeast Violence Reduction Initiative is a two pronged approach to bolster police presence and enforcement activity in the target neighborhoods:

1. Uniformed personnel will be deployed through highly visible proactive enforcement tactics and walking beats at specific locations in the identified neighborhoods; and
2. Detectives from the Narcotics and Guns Teams, Gun Task Force, Intelligence Division, Major Crimes Division, and the Juvenile Investigative Division will be deployed to identify individuals, groups, and/or gangs who are responsible for shootings and related narcotics and gun activity, and build cases against these individuals to arrest them and disrupt their violent, illegal activity.

The overall operational commander of the Northeast Violence Reduction Initiative will be HPD Deputy Chief Daryl K. Roberts, Commander of the North Division.  Under his command additional resources will be deployed for uniform Conditions Teams, Narcotics and Gun Teams, the Gun Task Force, Traffic, Major Crimes, Intelligence and Juvenile Investigative Divisions, and the Fugitive Task Force.

Enhanced policing efforts will include but not be limited to:

• Additional staffing of uniformed personnel to provide highly visible proactive enforcement and walking beats at designated "hotspot" locations within the three neighborhoods.
• Detectives from the Northeast Narcotics and Gun Team will work hand in hand with the Gun Task Force with specific assignments to target areas within the three neighborhoods.
• Supplemental support for assertive narcotics enforcement seven days a week.
• The Gun Task Force confidential tip hotline (860) 525-GUNS will be publicized and a reward system is being developed.
• Traffic enforcement will be conducted in highly visible specific locations within the three neighborhoods.
• Juvenile Investigative Division detectives will conduct proactive intervention with young teenage and juvenile aged individuals and their families who may be involved in street level activity.  They will also work with community members and organizations to dissuade identified youths from street level activity and make personal visits to their homes to offer alternatives.
• The Fugitive Task Force will direct their efforts on wanted persons within the target areas, with up to date warrant lists, for specific individuals of interest involved in violence, guns, and narcotics who are living or operating illegal activity in the target neighborhoods.

Contact:   Nancy Mulroy, Public Information Officer, Hartford Police Department,  (860) 543-8746
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