Youngstown crime-prevention initiative begins Tuesday

YOUNGSTOWN ­— Mahoning County, state and federal law-enforcement agencies are again teaming up with the Youngstown police department with a focus on crime reduction in the city during the warmer months.

The Violence Interruption Patrols program begins Tuesday and ends Sept. 2.

The program, similar to other saturation patrols, is targeting high-crime areas with a focus on gang-related crimes, said police Chief Rod Foley.

During law-enforcement saturation patrols in 2010 and 2011, 300 handguns were seized and 36 people were federally indicted, said Steven Dettelbach, U.S. attorney for Ohio’s Northern District.

For the complete story, read Tuesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com