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The Department of Justice has announced plans to expand its carjacking task forces in a new initiative across the United States.

Eleven US attorney’s offices across the country have formed a carjacking task force to address the ongoing uptick in carjackings. These task forces, led by federal attorney’s offices, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), aim to enhance local law enforcement efforts under the guidance of the Biden administration.

In a statement, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said, “The Justice Department has no higher priority than keeping our communities safe. We do so by targeting the most significant drivers of violent crime and by acting as a force multiplier for our state and local law enforcement partners. We’re seeing results — with violent crime declining broadly nationwide.”

According to the Justice Department, the impact of these task forces is already evident in the statistics. For instance, Philadelphia saw a 31% decline in carjackings from 2022 to 2023, and Washington, DC, experienced a 28% reduction in early 2024 compared to the same period the previous year.

New Focuses:
The expansion will include new task forces in various US districts, including Oregon, Eastern Texas, Northern Alabama, Northern California, Eastern Louisiana, Southern Mississippi, and Western Washington. These regions will soon see the establishment of dedicated groups focusing on curbing carjackings.