First HEAT Target Chosen
Nashville is turning up the HEAT on violent, gun-toting criminals.Chief Ronal Serpas, Middle Tennessee United States Attorney Jim Vines, District Attorney Torry Johnson and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives Special Agent in Charge Jim Cavanaugh today announced that the J.C. Napier & Tony Sudekum public housing developments will be the center of the city's first target area for the HEAT (Help Eliminate Armed Thugs) initiative.
The neighborhood was chosen after an analysis showed it to be a consistently troublesome, violent crime hotspot. Over the past three years, that community has experienced 373 violent offenses involving firearms. Of those violent crimes, seven were murders, 129 were robberies and 237 were aggravated assaults.
Effective immediately, persons committing crimes with guns in the target area will be prosecuted federally whenever possible. Federal gun crimes carry hard prison sentences without the possibility of parole. Federal prosecution also means that those convicted will be sent out of state to serve their time.
"The people in this community have the same right as every other Nashvillian to live in a safe place without the threat of being terrorized by gun-toting thugs," Chief Serpas said. "All of us here today are committed to making a difference by returning control of this neighborhood to its law abiding residents."
As an example of the enforcement activity that has taken place in the target area, the Hermitage Precinct's Bicycle Unit, during February alone, has charged 54 persons with a variety of offenses and has served an additional 20 outstanding arrest warrants. Forty-seven vehicles have been towed from the area.
"We are very serious about serving outstanding arrest warrants," Chief Serpas said. "If you're wanted, our officers, with assistance from the U.S. Marshal's Service, are working hard to find you."
Middle Tennessee U.S. Attorney Jim Vines said the HEAT initiative, a version of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program launched at the direction of the Bush administration, is a classic example of a strong partnership between state, local and federal law enforcement that is getting results.
"Everyone involved in the HEAT program is focused on the same mission: taking the most violent offenders off the streets and using lengthy federal sentences to keep them out of our neighborhoods," Vines said. Since the summer of 2002, more than 115 gun-carrying criminals have been accepted for federal prosecution. Many of them have been convicted and sent to prisons in various parts of the country.
"Federal prosecution is a marvelous law enforcement tool to keep violent offenders behind bars and out of our neighborhoods," District Attorney Torry Johnson said, noting that state laws for gun violence aren't nearly as stiff.
"The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives is absolutely committed to this partnership, and those caught committing gun crime can look forward to moving into a federal penitentiary for a long time," Special Agent in Charge Jim Cavanaugh said.
The commitment to the target area is long-term, as all agencies involved are dedicated to improving the community's quality of life for residents, particularly children.
Since January 1998, Metro police officers throughout the city have seized more than 14,140 firearms from more than 10,800 subjects. Illegal weapon possession was the crime resulting in the seizure of the most guns (5093). The most prevalent weapon seized has been the nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol (2489). It is followed by the .38 caliber pistol (1651) and the .380 semi-automatic pistol (1386).
Chief Ronal Serpas announces that the J.C. Napier & Tony Sudekum public
housing developments will be the center of Nashville's first target area
for the HEAT (Help Eliminate Armed Thugs) initiative. With Serpas are (l-r)
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives Special Agent in Charge
Jim Cavanaugh, Middle Tennessee U.S. Marshal Denny King and Middle Tennessee
United States Attorney Jim Vines.