The Mobile County Sheriff's Office continues to concentrate efforts in Prichard following an uptick in crime last year.
Sheriff Paul Burch told 1819 News the operation was working.
"We're continuing our enforcement efforts over there, trying to target some of the known gang members in areas they seem to congregate and so that's still an ongoing operation," said Burch. "But we've also become a lot more actively involved in some of their homicide cases."
Burch said he can't put an end date on the operation because the goal is to get crime under control and arrest violent offenders. He said the sheriff's office is also operating in other parts of the county, but he wants criminals to know Prichard is not a safe haven.
"There will be an ongoing, sustained campaign to address violent crimes and get some of these violent criminals off the street," he said.
The sheriff's office has gained enough intelligence to identify known gang members and those involved in shootings. They have gathered data from other areas of concern and received tips on the sheriff's website.
"So, we move it around and that kind of keeps the bad guys on their toes too," Burch said. "They never know exactly where we're going to be."
Burch said relations between the sheriff's office and Prichard city officials have improved. He believes the sheriff's office presence has eased some minds.
"They should feel a little safer," he said. "When we do have operations going in the Prichard area, people approach us and thank us for being there and say that they feel like we have made a difference and they feel a little safer."
"That tells me we're working in the right direction," he added.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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