- Safe Summer 2024, is a program that aims at Federally charging those involved in gun crime.
- The Program is in its second year and operates in four different areas including Lansing.
- Watch video above to see how Lansing police Chief Ellery Sosebee feels about the program.
Three years as Lansing’s police chief, Ellery Sosebee said he has his hands full. But his top priority has always been the same.
“My priority for the city of Lansing is violence,” Sosebee said. “There’s a lot of things I have to consider and worry about but violence is my numbers.”
That includes gun violence, something has been plaguing the streets of Lansing for a while now.
“Lansing alone, we had six homicides this year, 5 of them were by gun,” Sosebee said. “85 shots fired, 18 non fatal shootings and 122 seized guns and we are only in May.”
Sosebee said something more needs to be done to combat the senseless crime, which is why his department is teaming up with US Attorney for western district Michigan Mark Totten for a program this summer.
“Today I am announcing the launch of Safe Summer 2024 to help protect our communities from gun violence,” Totten said. “Under this program, our office is promising to federally prosecute federal firearm offenses that involve the use of crime gun.”
“The program, which is operating in 3 other areas, is in its second year. We’re told last year, 8 people were slapped with gun federal charges. Those charges are currently pending. But before someone could face a federal charge through the program, a certain criteria must be met.
“The first criteria is that the case involves a federal firearms offense,” Totten said. “Theres a long list what a federal firearm is. I’ll just mention the two most common. Felon in possession of a fire arm or someone carrying a machine gun. The second criteria we’re looking for is the gun involved is a crime gun, which means it was involved a previous crime.
The program will run from Memorial day through Labor day and as for Sosebee, he has full confidence in the program.
“We have seen the efficiency and effectiveness of it and we know it will work and we just need time and effort to make it work,” Sosebee said.
