TPD's 'Operation Safe Summer' Concludes
August 16, 2019
In response to citizen complaints of criminal activity and incidents of gun violence, the Tallahassee Police Department’s High-Risk Offender Bureau initiated a plan to curtail crime in our community. TPD’s Violent Crimes Response Teams (VCRT), Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving (COPPS) Squads, K9 Unit, Crime Analysis Unit, and the Special Investigations Section, teamed up with LCSO and FSUPD to suppress crime and violence over the summer months. Part of the plan included high visibility patrols, traffic stops and surveillance of locations throughout the city which have been prone to criminal activity. The Leon County Sheriff’s Office (SPIDER Unit, Aviation Unit, and K9 Team) were instrumental to the success of the operation.
‘Operation Safe Summer’ began on June 5, 2019, and concluded August 10, 2019. Numerous arrests have been made including gun charges and a variety of drugs seized. This initiative has been very successful in deterring crime in the community. Having numerous officers from various law enforcement agencies on the street working together, with a primary goal of proactive enforcement and crime prevention, has been instrumental for the initiative. The initiative contributed to quick arrests and resolutions such as the shooting homicide on South Adams Street and the abduction case on McKeithen St. In the abduction, the victim was successfully liberated during the arrest of the suspect.
The final statistics are specific to ‘Operation Safe Summer’ and excludes patrol, criminal investigation and other specialty squads’ work outside of the initiative. Between June 5, 2019, and August 10, 2019, the initiative has yielded numerous arrests, drugs seized and firearms confiscated. This includes 161 arrests with 184 felony charges and 158 misdemeanor charges, 14 handguns recovered, and 1011 traffic stops. We have seized over 12 pounds of marijuana, 106.1 grams of cocaine, 28.4 grams of MDMA, 66 grams of Methamphetamine, 212.48 grams of Flakka, 31.3 grams of bath salts and 7.25 grams of other types of illegal drugs.
Officers will continue to saturate areas of the city statistically shown to be more prone to criminal activity, ensuring those deciding to commit a crime are held accountable. The Tallahassee Police Department will continue to promote safety and prevention, assisting in the preparedness of our citizens, neighborhoods and community. Crime prevention is a joint effort and takes all of us working together to create and maintain a safe community.
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