ROANOKE, Va. — Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares calls the success of Ceasefire Virginia stunning.
"We've seen already a 30% decrease in murders across Virginia and an 11% reduction of overall violent crime over the last year," Miyares said.
The initiative was launched two years ago, along with Operation Bold Blue Line as a way to reduce violent crime.
Thursday, Miyares joined Governor Glenn Youngkin to tout the programs' accomplishments on the two-year anniversary.
Speaking before a crowd of law enforcement, local and state leaders in Roanoke, Miyares said the program is about crime prevention, intervention and prosecution. Developing strong partnerships between law enforcement, gun safety initiatives, and gang prevention advocates is also a hallmark of Ceasefire Virginia.
"We promised two years ago when we launched this that we were going to measure it and we were going to report back to you with results. We're happy to say that results have been simply stunning," added Miyares.
Ceasefire Virginia focuses on 13 cities, including five in Hampton Roads; Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Chesapeake. According to program's data, the 13 cities account for a 40.1% reduction in overall violent crime across Virginia.
