EVERETT, Wash., August 18, 2022 – On August 16, the Everett Police Department, Lynnwood Police Department, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, Snohomish County Prosecutors Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, launched a Regional Violent Crime Reduction Unit to target the rise in violent crime, especially crimes involving firearms.
Throughout 2022, the region has seen a notable increase in violent and gun-related crimes. To address this issue, the five agencies are dedicating resources and collaborating on efforts to reduce violent crime in the Everett, Lynnwood and south county region.
“We are committed to improving the safety of our community in the face of increasing incidences of significant violent acts perpetrated in our City and neighboring jurisdictions,” said Lynnwood police chief James Nelson. “We look forward to this regional collaborative effort with our law enforcement partners to leverage our collective resources to improve the safety for all of our community.”
“We are collaborating with our local and federal partners to reduce violent crime in Snohomish County,” said Sheriff Adam Fortney. “The recent increase in shootings in south county has been alarming and we remain dedicated to investigating and reducing gun violence. This new unit gives us the ability to develop regional intelligence, share investigative resources, and quickly identify and apprehend suspects. Public safety is our top priority, and we are committed to working together to keep our residents safe.”
Proud to partner in this effort! Quote from ASAC Kelly Smith. pic.twitter.com/ta3CKFpAhW
— FBI Seattle (@FBISeattle) August 18, 2022
Officers from each jurisdiction will combine into one team to address, mitigate, investigate and suppress violent crime. This partnership will also include representation from the Snohomish County Prosecutors Office to ensure that violent crimes are investigated thoroughly enough to hold offenders accountable.
“The Prosecutor’s Office stands ready, willing, and able to assist our local and federal partners in this important targeted effort to enhance our response to the burgeoning impact of violent crime on our communities,” said Snohomish County Prosecutor Adam Cornell.
This unit will also have an intervention component in cooperation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The intervention component will identify individuals, often children, who are being exploited by criminal groups to participate in criminal activity and provide them with resources and alternatives to address violent crime behaviors.
“It’s difficult to conceive of more appalling acts than when adults manipulate children,” said Kelly Smith, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle Field Office. “Our goal in support of this multi-disciplinary team, is to offer help to at-risk youth who are being exploited by people with ties to violent crime in the north sound region.”
“We have seen a steady increase in violent crime and crimes involving guns in our community and the individuals responsible do not recognize jurisdictional boundaries,” said Everett police chief Dan Templeman. “By partnering with other affected communities, we are able to increase our effectiveness throughout the region and improve safety for all our residents.”
Content Source: Everett Police Department
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
