Camden Among 7 Cities Nationally Targeted in Sweep of Violent Crime Suspects

Camden was among seven cities nationwide that was targeted by Operation Violence Reduction7 (VR7), a six-week long U.S. Marshals-led enforcement initiative conducted across the country to reduce violent crime.

More than 7,100 fugitives, gang members, sex offender suspects and suspects of violent crime were charged in Camden, Oakland, Chicago, Atlanta, Baltimore, New Orleans and Fort Lauderdale between March 2, and April 10, 2015.

“The Camden County Police Department’s involvement in this program resulted in 84 violent criminals being removed from the streets of Camden,” Camden County Police Chief Scott Thomson said. “By eliminating that very small percentage of people that are committing the majority of the violent crime, you can start to change the dynamics of neighborhoods.”

The criteria for cases adopted and investigated during Operation VR7 included fugitives wanted for murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, robbery, aggravated assault, arson, abduction/kidnapping, sexual assault and child molestation.

Investigators focused on capturing fugitives with three or more prior felony arrests for violent crimes and wanted for narcotics, weapons offenses, assault/battery and threats. Gang members and sex offenders received high-priority.

“The purpose of Operation VR7 was to protect our communities by removing the most dangerous criminals from the streets,” U.S. Marshals Service Director Stacia Hylton said. “The operation utilized a strategic approach to identify and arrest the most violent wanted felony fugitives quickly in order to see the greatest impact on public safety.”

Specifically, Operation VR7 resulted in 7,127 arrests, including 750 gang members, and the seizure of 383 firearms and more than 69 kilograms of illegal narcotics. Individual charges included 519 for homicide; 922 for weapons; 1,888 for assault; 583 for sexual assault; 1,093 for robbery; and 2,654 for narcotics, according to the U.S. Marshals service.

The U.S.Marshals have established counter gang units in the seven cities selected. Those units provided real time, ground level intelligence on criminal activity throughout the operation.

“Our counter gang units along with our federal, state, and local partners were able to hone in on areas with numerous outstanding warrants, and ensure that apprehension measures were deliberate and effective,” Chief Inspector John “Buck” Smith, Operation VR7 Commander, said.

“By taking these dangerous fugitives off the streets, we hope people feel safer in their communities,” Hylton said. “Many of these fugitives we arrested were repeat offenders, who average eight prior arrests and three prior convictions for violent crimes.”