Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Meets with Law Enforcement Components to Address Violent Crime

“First, with respect to violent crime. We know that hard fought progress can easily slip away, and we must remain focused and vigilant. That said, we are encouraged by the data we are seeing indicating a decline in homicides. The FBI has reported that the number of homicides fell over 6% nationally between 2021 and 2022. And the Major Cities Chiefs Association has reported a double-digit decrease in the number of murders across 69 major cities through September 2023, as compared to the same time period during 2022. This is not a time to relax our efforts. We have so much more to do.”

-Attorney General Merrick B. Garland

“Violent crime is not just a threat to people’s physical safety. It is a threat to their ability to freely go about their daily lives. Violent crime isolates people and their communities. It deepens the fractures in our public life. And when it is not addressed, it can undermine people’s trust in the government and in each other. This Department, and our state and local partners, will not rest until every community in our country is safe from the scourge of violent crime.”

-Attorney General Merrick B. Garland

“At the same time that we are seeing an encouraging downward trend in violent crime, we are also witnessing a deeply disturbing spike in threats against those who serve the public...These threats of violence are unacceptable. They threaten the fabric of our democracy. Over the past several years, the Justice Department has dedicated itself to combating these threats. We are meeting today to determine how we can double down on those efforts in the new year.”

-Attorney General Merrick B. Garland

“Since the start of this administration, this Department has been laser-focused on targeting the most significant drivers of violent crime — with gun violence at the top of that list. Our strategy is data-driven and focuses on doing what we do best: acting as a force multiplier with our state and local law enforcement partners — who are on the front lines of the fight against violent crime — and deploying technology and other cutting-edge tools to go after the individuals most responsible for crime in our communities.”

-Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco