SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT News Release
		Release #11-09-04 November 9, 2004 For Immediate Release
						Media Office 916-433-0808  Capt. Joe Valenzuela Sgt. Justin Risley, PIO Ofc. Michelle Lazark PIC Audrey Lee     Internet: www.sacpd.org

The Sacramento Police Department will be holding a press conference at the Public Safety Center located at 5770 Freeport Blvd. on Wednesday, November 10, 2004 at 10:00 a.m. in the Hall of Honor Conference Room.  This press conference will announce the results of the Violent Crime Response Team that was formed on July 27, 2004 to address an increase of violent crime in the City of Sacramento.

Sacramento Police Department personnel from the following units were utilized to make up the task force: Career Criminal Apprehension Team, SWAT, Gangs, Parole Intervention Team, and the Problem Oriented Policing Team.  The focus of the task force was to reduce the incidence of gun violence and the number of illegal firearms in the City of Sacramento.  The Violent Crime Response Team accomplished this reduction by directed enforcement in the areas where the gun violence was occurring.  As a result of the operation, 377 arrests were made and 66 guns were confiscated, which resulted in a 32% reduction in gun-related violent crimes in the City of Sacramento.

In addition, working closely with the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, several of the gun arrests were prosecuted federally under the federal presidential initiative of Project Safe Neighborhoods.

Speaking at the press conference will be Deputy Chief of Police Steve Segura, Resident Agent in Charge of the ATF Armando Salas, First Assistant United States Attorney Lawrence Brown, and Police Captain Jeff Schiele.