LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville has a new initiative to combat gun violence in the city.

Inside Metro Hall on Tuesday afternoon, Mayor Craig Greenberg announced the Prohibited Firearms Possessors initiative, also known as PFP. The mayor's office, prosecutors, Louisville Metro Police and federal partners will work to identify and prosecute repeat firearm offenders. Greenberg said the group first came together in October with a goal to reduce violent crime in Louisville.

"Since that first discussion, LMPD formed a unit dedicated to this effort," he said Tuesday. "The Commonwealth's Attorney's Office identified prosecutors to lead investigations, and that first meeting took place very recently, on Jan. 8."

Those behind the new initiative said the focus is on repeat offenders and is aimed at reducing firearms-related crime in Louisville.

"We know that many violent crimes are committed by a relatively small and few individuals here in the city," said AJ Gibbs, assistant special agent in charge of ATF's Louisville Field Division. "The Prohibited Firearms Possessor program is aimed toward repeat offenders, as you've heard here today: those with violent histories and those with recent felony convictions."

LMPD Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel applauded the efforts.

"We now have another tool to help us in our layered approach toward removing violent offenders from Louisville's neighborhoods," Gwinn-Villaroel said. 

Although the city saw a drop in homicides and non-fatal shootings in 2023, Greenberg said more needs to be done. He pointed toward working together and launching an initiative such as PFP. 

"One of the big things here is focus," Greenberg said. "The priority on all of us is on reducing violent crime, and one of the ways we know we can do that is by targeting repeat firearms offenders."

Commonwealth's Attorney Gerina Whethers said her office is looking forward to being part of this initiative.

"We also specifically have our most seasoned prosecutors that are going to work with this initiative, especially in our violent crimes unit," Whethers said. "We also need to make sure we get the right people off the streets so we can stop this hemorrhaging of what's happening in our city."

The team is expected to meet monthly. 

"We recognize there are voids in our over burdened criminal justice system, and that conducting business as usual has allowed many violent offenders to slip through those cracks only to re-offend and further victimize the citizens of Louisville," said LMPD Lt. Col. Aaron Crowell. "This initiative is aimed at filling those cracks."

Related Stories:

Copyright 2024 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.