In an effort to curb the troubling trend of violent crime, the DeKalb County Police Department (DKPD) has taken the initiative to partner with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and join the National Public Safety Partnership program (PSP). This alliance promises to deliver intensive training, along with technical support, covering a range of critical areas—gun violence, collaborations in criminal justice, thorough investigations and community engagement, to name a few, a detail recently publicized on the official DeKalb County government website.
The partnership is set against the backdrop of DeKalb County's declining violent crime rates, with Police Chief Mirtha V. Ramos expressing optimism about the benefits of the collaboration, "While violent crimes rates are steadily decreasing year to year, PSP has a proven track record of helping sites lower crime rates and improve the quality of life for community members and we are excited to work with them to better serve our citizens," as she underscored in the county's public statement. The project, spanning a three-year period, aims to engage a network of experts—and this collaboration is anticipated to generate actionable insights into the distinct issues facing DeKalb, mapping out system-wide strategies to further cut down on crime rates, thus elevating public safety measures.
Efforts to improve safety in DeKalb will focus on using advanced technology for crime analysis and adopting constitutional policing practices. The DOJ's PSP program, known for its successful partnerships in reducing local crime, supports these initiatives.
