D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force Reaches Milestones

Washington, D.C — The combined federal and local effort to Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful have reached the milestones of over 5,000 arrests and the seizure of more than 500 guns as part of a historic collaboration to restore public order and safety in Washington, D.C.

As of Wednesday morning, the cooperation has removed 502 illicit firearms off the city’s streets which could have otherwise been used during a violent crime. The 5,258 arrests include individuals wanted for murder, sexual offenses, known gang members, as well as drivers of community violence, and those seeking to defraud the citizens of Washington D.C.

These milestones highlight the continued dedication of law enforcement officers collaborating with the National Guard to execute the mission – making the Nation’s capital city the safest and most beautiful city in America.

“These guns have been taken from criminals that should have never had them in the first place,” said Gadyaces S. Serralta, Director of the U.S. Marshal Service. “The criminals can no longer terrorize victims with these guns. They will not be used to commit robberies, rapes, assaults or murders, any longer. Now we can look forward to the prosecution and conviction of the law violators.” The seized firearms were traced by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to determine the original purchaser and entered into the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). Out of the 500 firearms seized by law enforcement, approximately 20% were previously used in other shooting incidents.

“The removal of 500 firearms from our nation’s capital is a testament to the hard work being conducted by federal law enforcement each and every day,” said ATF Deputy Director Rob Cekada. “ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence tools like eTrace and NIBIN help identify the sources of crime guns and provides invaluable leads to support ongoing investigations and solve violent crime.”

The U.S. Marshals Service-led federal surge is now in its third operational month. The D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force will continue as the largest proactive collaboration of law enforcement and National Guard in modern history, working together, to eliminate violent crime, enhance public safety, and foster stronger partnerships within the D.C. community. All accomplished through high quality, highly coordinated, constitutional police work.

The effort also has set up a tip line for residents who could receive $500 for every tip that is sent into the operation center that leads to an arrest.