SALT LAKE CITY — "Project Safe Neighborhoods" in Salt Lake City has helped remove guns, drugs, and criminals from the streets according to city and law enforcement leaders, who gave a report on the initiative Tuesday morning.
They said that for the first three months of 2022, 27 guns have been seized and two dozen defendants have been charged for crimes committed.
Several agencies are involved with the initiative, which was revived just over a year ago.
Since then, more than 200 criminals have been taken off the streets and 221 guns have been seized with 49 reported stolen.
"Those 221 firearms— those aren’t 221 crimes that have been prevented. Each one of these firearms, and we know this, are going to be used over and over and over again . . . so when we talk about pulling 221 firearms off the streets, we are taking about hundreds maybe even thousands of crimes that are not going to be committed," said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bradley Engelbert.
And methamphetamine is still a major problem in the city, with more than six kilograms seized so far this year.
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall says as the city grows, it's important to realize that there isn't a finish line in the fight against crime, but community efforts can help reduce it.
