SCHUMER, JOINED BY TOP RANKING DOJ OFFICIAL, TOURS VIOLENCE PLAGUED LOCATIONS IN CITY AND DISCUSSES WAYS FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN HELP
Schumer Brings Together Local Law Enforcement, High Ranking DOJ Official, FBI Experts and Community Leaders
At Schumer's Request in April, AG Holder Pledged to Send Top Ranking DOJ Official to Newburgh to Determine What Federal Crime Fighting Resources Can Be Brought to Bear
Schumer Joined By Mary Lou Leary - Top Ranking Official at DOJ Bureau That Distributes Funding and Expertise to Local Governments
Yesterday, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, joined by a top ranking Department of Justice (DOJ) official, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Mary Lou Leary, toured Newburgh, NY and met with local and national law enforcement officials. During an appearance at Newburgh Armory, Schumer said that he brought Leary, a top DOJ official in charge of law enforcement and community funding, to Newburgh to help determine what resources the federal government can bring to bear on the problem of skyrocketing violence in Newburgh. They viewed several locations in Newburgh, and then met with local law enforcement and community officials and members of the FBI.
Schumer said that the focus of today's visit was making sure the highest ranks of the Justice Department are intimately familiar with the shocking violence Newburgh is facing so that, going forward, it can be determined how to best deploy the federal government's resources. It was also a day to make sure that everyone is on the same page so local officials can work with national officials to develop a comprehensive plan to stop the violence. Schumer said that bringing a top ranking DOJ official - one with exhaustive knowledge of the federal funding process and say over where funding goes - will help the city determine how it should be pursuing federal funds and could ultimately help the city secure more of them.
"Our goal today is to make sure everyone is on the same page and determine what resources the federal government can bring to bear on what has become a nationally problem of violence in Newburgh," Said Schumer. "I've been joined by one of the top ranking Justice Department officials, and one that has a tremendous amount of sway over what resources go where, and I hope that today is the beginning of a long and lasting partnership between the DOJ and Newburgh as we work together to solve the explosive violence here. Having a top official familiar with the situation on the ground is an important part of this process."
Mary Lou Leary joined the Office of the Assistant Attorney General at the Office of Justice Programs in May 2009 when she was appointed Deputy Assistant Attorney General. She was named Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General in September 2009. As a top official at OJP Ms. Leary oversees funding and her judgment goes a long way in determining what resources communities like Newburgh receive. Today's personal visit provides her with a firsthand look at the challenges that Newburgh faces and keen insight into what additional resources the city could use to fight the rising crime.
The DOJ's Office of Justice Programs (OJP) provides innovative leadership to federal, state and local law enforcement, by disseminating state-of-the art knowledge and practices across America, and providing grants for the implementation of these crime-fighting strategies. Because most of the responsibility for crime control and prevention falls to law enforcement officers in states, cities, and neighborhoods, the DOJ can be effective in these areas only to the extent that it can enter into partnerships with local law enforcement. OJP works in partnership with the law enforcement community to identify the most pressing crime-related challenges confronting the justice system and to provide information, training, coordination, and innovative strategies and approaches for addressing these challenges. For example, the OJP provides funding for additional police officers, bulletproof vests and a variety of other strategic and material resources that law enforcement can use to fight crime and keep communities safe.
The City of Newburgh is facing an almost unprecedented spike in violence, and the intense financial difficulties faced by the community - as well as communities across the country - is only making dealing with the issue all the more difficult. Since early this year, Schumer has pressed the Justice Department to provide additional resources and send a high ranking Justice Department delegation to the City of Newburgh to work with and coordinate with local police to establish a plan of action to stem the rising tide of crime and today's visit is a result of that effort. On the tour, the group visited three locations that have been particularly hard hit by violence and finished at the Armory, which the city is exploring to develop into a place where students can play sports after school.
Recently, the National Gang Intelligence Center's 2009 Gang Threat Assessment found that gangs are increasingly migrating from urban areas to suburban and rural communities, expanding gang influence in most regions. Schumer has said that Newburgh illustrates this trend, and it must be reversed.
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