Congressman Tim Moore Introduces the Stop Gang Violence Act to Improve Crime Reporting and Enhance Public Safety

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Recently, Congressman Tim Moore (NC-14) introduced H.R. 8856, the Stop Gang Violence Act, to improve the accuracy and consistency of gang-related crime reporting across the country by incentivizing local jurisdictions to share crime data with federal partners.

"Our brave law enforcement officers are working every day to stop gang violence and keep communities safe, but too often they are doing it without accurate crime data from local jurisdictions," said Congressman Moore. "This legislation will make sure that our federal and local law enforcement agencies are working together to build a more complete picture of gang activity across the country. Better information means we have safer communities."

Under current law, jurisdictions that submit crime data to the FBI can receive priority consideration for Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne-JAG) funding. This legislation builds on that existing framework by giving priority consideration to jurisdictions that voluntarily report suspected gang-related activity as part of their incident reporting. This bill does not burden local law enforcement or taxpayers with new federal mandates or spending.

Cosponsors include Reps. Mike Haridopolos (FL-08), Rich McCormick (GA-07), and Greg Steube (FL-17). This legislation was endorsed by the National Alliance of Gang Investigators Associations, the North Carolina Gang Investigators Association, and the Georgia Gang Investigators Association.

"Without accurate data, we are fighting an invisible threat. This legislation strengthens our ability to identify, understand, and disrupt gang activity by ensuring the intelligence we rely on truly reflects the reality on the ground," said Jose E. Ramirez, President, National Alliance of Gang Investigators Associations.

Read the full text of the legislation HERE.