Operation Ceasefire and the
Violent Crimes Task Force
Operation Ceasefire is a joint project sponsored by the United States Attorney's Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Memphis Police Department, and the Shelby County Sheriff's Office designed to reduce the juvenile demand for firearms and to decrease the supply of firearms available to juveniles. To accomplish these goals, the U.S. Attorney's Violent Crimes Task Force trains security officers for public and private schools in using the Gun Safety Video to illustrate the dangers of guns and to facilitate student discussions.
In addition the U.S. Attorney's Office makes every effort to publicize successful prosecutions of firearms cases and its zero tolerance policy on possession of firearms in schools or school zones as prohibited by 18 U.S.C. § 922(q) and on transferring possession of firearms to juveniles as prohibited by 18 U.S.C. § 922(x) through traditional media outlets, juvenile and supervised release programs, Parent/Teacher Association meetings, neighborhood associations, public housing authority programs, etc.
To decrease the supply of firearms available to juveniles, members of the Violent Crimes Task Force work with Juvenile Court Intake Officers to interview all juveniles arrested for crimes involving the possession of firearms and conduct traces on all firearms seized from juveniles in an effort to determine the source of such firearms. Investigative and prosecution resources are focused on the detection and conviction of individuals profiting from the illegal sale and/or purchase of firearms for the purpose of supplying firearms to convicted felons and minors.