Ogden Police Chief, Crime Suppression, Utah 2022

SALT LAKE CITY – The U.S. Attorney's Office in Utah is recognizing the leadership success of Ogden Police Chief Randy Watt in the city's Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Target Enforcement Area.

Chief Watt was awarded the Outstanding Individual Contribution to the PSN Program award for his efforts to reduce violent crime in Utah communities.

PSN is a critical piece of the crime reduction efforts, focusing investigation and prosecution resources on those individuals who most significantly drive violence in communities. It also promotes partnerships between law enforcement and schools, the faith community, and local community leaders to prevent and deter future criminal conduct.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Utah has been one of the highest performing offices in the PSN initiative for almost 20 years, using the initiative goals to reduce violent crime in Utah communities. In 2018, 255 cases were filed by federal prosecutors in the PSN initiative, 215 in 2019, and 169 as of November 2020.

Chief Watt was the architect of a program to develop a Targeted Enforcement Area (TEA) in Ogden, partnering with federal law enforcement agencies. He selected a 4.86 square mile area, located primarily within Ogden, for enhanced targeted enforcement. The TEA initiative started in April 2018 with support from DOJ PSN grants. Partners adopted a zero tolerance position for anyone committing firearms or narcotics violations in the targeted area.

Offenders are screened for federal or state prosecution as a part of a coordinated prosecution strategy. The federal cases are often prosecuted by Weber County Attorneys cross-designated as Assistant U.S. Attorneys. This partnership and geographic surge of resources has resulted in a significant reduction in Type 1 crimes.

U.S. Attorney John W. Huber presented the award to Chief Watt, praising his forward thinking leadership in defining and targeting a specific area, combined with his willingness to partner with the PSN program and federal law enforcement. Huber said, 'Chief Watt deserves this high honor for his efforts in the Target Enforcement Area. His success in crime suppression and prevention has made Ogden a model for other cities to use in addressing violent crime issues.'

As a part of the Ogden TEA initiative, 181 firearms have been seized. These include one grenade launcher, 128 pistols, 15 revolvers, 23 rifles, and 14 shotguns. These firearms are no longer in the hands of criminals in the community. Prosecutors have even heard from offenders, arrested as a part of the initiative, promoting a crime-prevention mantra: Don't get caught in the Box.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ut/pr/us-department-justice-recognizes-ogden-police-chief-his-work-targeted-project-safe