Law enforcement throughout Colorado will receive $196,000 to combat gang and gun violence, U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey said Thursday.
During a visit to the U.S. attorney’s office in Denver, Mukasey praised the work of Colorado’s Metro Gang Task Force and pledged more funding from the Justice Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood initiative.
“Together with our partners here in Colorado and around the country, we want to send the message that a life style of gangs and gun crime is a dead end,” he said.
“It lures our youth with the false promise of status, respect and companionship, then delivers nothing but the reality of emptiness, violence and prison,” Mukasey said. “In the process, children lose their chance at a productive life, families lose their future and communities lose both their sense of security and their next generation of leaders. It’s a loss we simply cannot afford.”
Mukasey highlighted the task force’s work on the Rolling 30s Crips and Tre Tre Crips takedowns in April 2007 that led to the indictments of 80 people. He also mentioned last month’s arrests and indictments of suspected Asian Pride gang members.
Some members of the Tre Tre Crips are suspected of participating in the fatal drive-by shooting of Denver Broncos player Darrent Williams, but they have not been charged in that case.
A Denver County grand jury is reviewing Williams’ homicide and other homicides that may be linked to the gang.
Mukasey met with the Task Force and Troy Eid, U.S. attorney for Colorado, on Thursday and listened to a briefing on the status of ongoing investigations.
“The way it used to be when I was kid prosecutor every agency had its own cases,” Mukasey said before the briefing. “Now we are all working together and sharing information.”
A total of $17 million in federal funds will be spread to 94 jurisdictions throughout the country, Mukasey said.
Since the Justice initiative began in 2001, more than $2 billion has been allocated to prosecute gang and gun crimes, hire prosecutors and support staff and fund prevention programs in schools and prisons.
In Colorado, Project Safe Neighborhood has provided nearly $4 million to fight gangs and gun crimes since 2001.
Eid said the $196,000 will be spread among law enforcement projects that are most worthy to fund.
Felisa Cardona: 303-954-1219 or fcardona@denverpost.com
