Yesterday Sheriff David Morgan along with Chief Chip Simmons announced a joint effort to help address gun violence.
The “Gun Crime Response Teamâ€, which will consist of members from Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Pensacola Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the State Attorney’s Office. Also assisting in the venture will be the Florida Department of Probation and Parole, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the US Marshall’s and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The team will work
as one unit within the boundaries of Escambia County to include the City of Pensacola.
The goal of this initiative is the reduction of gun related violence as well as the arrest and successful prosecution of those who commit gun related crimes. The team will respond to and investigate violent crimes where a firearm was the primary weapon of choice. They will work as a team with local investigators as a support unit and at times as the primary investigative unit.
The team will respond to the following types of firearm incidents, on a call out basis, at the request of the on-scene supervisor from either ECSO or PPD. The types of calls they will respond to include, but may not be limited to:
Homicides (Gun related)
Drive By Shootings
Intentional Weapon Discharges (with property damage or injury)
Suspicious Firearm Wounds and Firearm Wounds to Known Criminals
Persons Arrested and Charged with a Firearm Violation (primary and secondary)
Illegal Aliens with Firearms
Narcotic Related Crimes Involving Firearms
Illegal Firearms and Weapons Caches
Found or Recovered Firearms (including those with no arrest)
The “Gun Crime Response Team†officially started operation today August 6, 2012.