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Last updated on Wednesday, June 4, 2014
(UNDATED) - A summit targeting violence will be hosted by the U.S. Attorney’s office in Indianapolis, which is news to the city’s public safety department.
The office of U.S. Attorney Joe Hogsett announced the summit in a press release, saying it will take place September 3rd through 5th and feature other federal prosecutors and public safety officials from across the country. "Across the country, many cities have seen a reduction in murders while Indianapolis has struggled with the worst outbreak of violence in a generation. We must do all we can to bring those successful strategies to the streets of our city," said Hogsett in the release.
The release says Hogsett invited officials from the Justice Department as well as U.S. Attorneys from urban areas. Though he did not name the officials, the release says they will come from Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Las Vegas, Seattle, Baltimore, Nashville, Buffalo, Louisville, and Gary, Indiana.
Not on that list were officials from the host city, Indianapolis. Al Larsen, spokesman for the Department of Public Safety, says the press release I emailed to him was the first he had heard of the summit. He also says it appears Hogsett borrowed an idea from the city. As you know, earlier this year Mayor Ballard, Chief Hite and Director Riggs called for the community to engage in an ongoing series of community conversations to discuss the many issues - social and criminal -- that drive criminal activity and violence in our city," Larsen said in an email. "So, while we didn't know anything about this particular event until now, we are glad to see that Mr. Hogsett heard our call and is taking an actionable step toward helping find solutions to the issues that challenge our community."
Hogsett says more information about the summit will be released "in the coming weeks."
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