US President Joe Biden unveils new anti-crime strategy

WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden has launched a new crime prevention strategy amid soaring gun violence across the country, focusing on illegal sale of firearms, law-breaking dealers and better community support.

"Crime historically rises during the summer and as we emerge from this pandemic, with the country opening back up again, the traditional summer spike may even be more pronounced than it traditionally would be," Biden said in a speech from the White House on Wednesday. "Folks, this (gun violence) shouldn't be a red or blue issue... It's an American issue," he added.

The President said that cities and states can use their portions of $350 billion in direct aid from the COVID-19 rescue plan, which was approved by Congress in March, to enhance public safety, including hiring more police officers and other law enforcement officials.

Public schools can also use their share of $122 billion in rescue money in community violence intervention programs and other public safety strategies, Biden said.

"This is not a time to turn our backs on law enforcement or our communities," said the president, distancing himself from progressive calls for "defunding the police".

Under the plan, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will revoke federal licenses of gun dealers the first time they violate the federal law.

Violations could include selling firearms to a prohibited buyer, failing to run required background checks and falsifying firearm transaction forms or other records.

The Justice Department plans to create multi-jurisdictional "firearms trafficking strike forces" to reduce the illegal flow of firearms to high-crime areas like New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and the Bay Area. "So legal guns sold from the backdoor of a gun shop in Virginia don't end up in a murder scene in Baltimore," Biden said. (IANS)

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