Denver Gun Violence: New Law Enforcement Initiative Announced

DENVER, CO — Law enforcement agencies announced Wednesday a new approach to combating Denver gun violence.

Officials said the initiative will pair U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Denver Field Division agents with Denver police investigators to:

• Assist officers on scene with gathering evidence and creating reports;
• Review cases that involve possession of a weapon by a previous offender charges for prosecution by either the Denver District Attorney’s Office or the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado;
• Prioritize cases for the consideration of filing the most serious available charges based on connections to shootings, whether the crime occurred in a crime hotspot, and the likelihood of future violent activity.

“Partnerships such as this are one of ATF’s most powerful tools to protect the public,” said David Booth, special agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Denver.

“We look forward to utilizing this enhanced process to continue protecting the public and bringing violent offenders to justice.”

Denver police officers will also undergo new training "to ensure gun charges are thoroughly documented from the outset of investigations and to enable officers to draw on federal investigative and prosecutorial resources in appropriate cases," the department said in a news release.

The initiative will also include increased communication between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Denver District Attorney’s Office to ensure "the best outcomes in individual cases and ensure the most efficient and effective prosecutorial decisions, the release read.

“If you commit a gun crime in Denver, you should know that federal, state, and local law enforcement will be working together to catch you and send you to jail for a long time,” said Matt Kirsch, Acting United States Attorney.

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Metro Denver Crime Stoppers is also working with Denver police and federal agents to post billboards in the city's most violent neighborhoods, officials said:

• South Federal Boulevard and West Alameda Avenue
• Colfax Avenue and Broadway
• East Colfax Avenue and North Yosemite Street
• East 47th Avenue and North Peoria Street
• Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and North Holly Street

Billboard example: