VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares made a stop in Virginia Beach Tuesday morning to give opening remarks at the Ceasefire Virginia Conference.
Leaders at the event expressed concerns about gun and gang violence challenges in Hampton Roads and emphasized the need for new policies to combat those challenges.
The Ceasefire Virginia initiative is led by the attorney general and the governor's office to help community leaders and law enforcement combat violence. Miyares points to the program's progress in Hampton Roads. His office now aims to take stronger action against offenders.
"We know who violent criminals are. The question is whether we have the fortitude and well to go after them," Miyares expressed.
Ceasefire Virginia's goal is to reduce violent crime by bringing new solutions and ideas.
"We definitely have been working together to partner all over the Commonwealth with best practices and how we can cut down crime and get in the neighborhoods," said Virginia Beach Sheriff Rocky Holcomb.
The attorney general said the program is leading to results.
Ceasefire Virginia has been implemented in 13 cities across Virginia, including Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, and Portsmouth. Miyares said the next step is to curb the specific numbers related to gun violence.
"We said we're going to aggressively go after those particularly gun crime because that's creating so much of the habit that we're seeing we're going to have public service announcements that's part of our education tool of saying gun crime means more time," Miyares said.
The program's success comes from community partners such as Jamonicus White, the assistant captain of the Norfolk Police Department. He said Ceasefire Virginia provides important funding at the neighborhood level.
"Mental health resources, motivational speakers, walking kids to school... things like that to really make sure they're safe on a day-to-day basis," White said.
Miyares said his hope is for a future where no Virginian is living in fear. He wants to keep the momentum going and plans to introduce ways to expand the Ceasefire Virginia at the General Assembly session next year.