WHEREAS, armed criminals pose an increasing and major threat to public safety and can turn any crime into serious injury or death; and

WHEREAS, most violent crime where a firearm is possessed or used is committed by recidivist criminals, and existing laws already prohibit possession and use of firearms by recidivist criminals; and

WHEREAS, vigorous, coordinated enforcement and prosecution of illegal possession and use of firearms by recidivist criminals has been proven to dramatically reduce firearms-related violent crime, and

WHEREAS, partnerships between law enforcement, prosecution and corrections that focus on violent firearm crime have been proven to be an effective means of coordinated cross-jurisdictional and cross-disciplinary efforts on enforcement of prosecution of illegal firearm possession and violent firearm crime; and

WHEREAS, model violent firearm crime coalitions have been implemented in King County, Washington, and Richmond, Virginia and Boston, Massachusetts; and

WHEREAS, the Firearms Committee of the IACP has developed and approved Model Violent Firearm Crime Coalition Guidelines; and

WHEREAS, the Attorney General of the United States has directed all United States Attorneys and all Special Agents in Charge of ATF offices to seek public and private partnerships for an integrated firearms violence reduction strategy; and

WHEREAS, violence in schools is an urgent concern of all IACP members, and the Model Violent Firearms Crime Coalition Guidelines address illegal use and possession of firearms by adults and juveniles, now therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) duly assembled at its 106th Annual Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, approves and endorses the Model Violent Firearms Crime Coalition Guidelines, and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that every member of IACP be provided a written copy of the Model Violent Firearm Crime Coalition Guidelines and be encouraged to form these coalitions as appropriate; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Governing Body of IACP present copies of this resolution and the Model Guidelines to the national organizations whose partnerships are essential to success; these include the National Sheriffs' Association, American Correctional Association, American Probation and Parole Association, and the National District Attorneys Association.