DAVENPORT, Iowa- The Davenport police department is now working directly with the United States Department of Justice to combat gun violence in the city.
Wednesday, July 24, local, state, and federal law enforcement officials gathered in Davenport to announce the National Public Safety Partnership program with the Davenport Police Department.
This Justice Department program is a three-year engagement that seeks to leverage department assets in support of local jurisdictions' commitment to reduce violent crime.
Davenport was one of 10 police departments in the country chosen to participate in a national initiative called the public safety partnership.
Davenport now has a DOJ liaison assigned to work directly with the police department.
Over the next three years, the liaison will look at how Davenport handles gun crimes and then they'll make the police department a specific plan suggesting different resources training and strategies
Officials say Davenport was chosen through an application process.
Chief Paul Sikorski thinks the city was picked because they had an unusually violent year for crimes back in 2017.