246 Arrested in ‘Operation Invictus Civitas’ – ‘Undefeatable Community’

The U.S. Marshal Service designed 'Operation Invictus Civitas' to initiate a community-based, comprehensive, multi-component strategy being implemented over a two-year period.
The U.S. Marshal Service designed 'Operation Invictus Civitas' to initiate a community-based, comprehensive, multi-component strategy being implemented over a two-year period.

U.S. Attorney General William Barr is praising law enforcement after authorities in the Yakima, Washington area who recently completed a 15 week-long joint federal, state, local and Tribal law enforcement initiative named ‘Operation Invictus Civitas’, (Undefeatable Community), which resulted in the arrest of 246 fugitives and violent offenders in the Yakima County area.

Operation Invictus Civitas

‘Operation Invictus Civitas’ is a joint United States Marshal Service, who has been nominated in the 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program,Operation Triple Beam,’ ‘Project Safe Neighborhoods’ (PSN), and Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force (PNVOTF) initiative geared toward reducing violent crime in the Yakima region.

Project Safe Neighborhoods, a 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Honored Award Program from the Department of Justice (DOJ) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), is a national initiative that brings together federal, state, local and Tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.

Courtesy of the USMS
Courtesy of the USMS

Yakima was selected as a PSN focus area in 2018 due to its high rates of gang and gun-related violent crime.

The U.S. Marshal Service designed ‘Operation Invictus Civitas’ to initiate a community-based, comprehensive, multi-component strategy being implemented over a two-year period.

‘Operation Invictus Civitas’ launched on June 3, 2019, and was led by the U.S. Marshal Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington.

As part of this coordinated and targeted initiative, the operations resulted in arrests which included the following charges:

Courtesy of the USMS

  • 9 arrests for sexual offenses;
  • 62 arrests for assaults;
  • 19 arrests for robberies;
  • 29 arrests for weapons violations;
  • 5 arrests for homicides;
  • 1 arrest for kidnapping;
  • 1 arrest for arson;
  • 15 arrests for burglaries;
  • 63 arrests for narcotics violations; and
  • 42 arrests for other crimes including federal escapes.  Operation Statistics at a Glance

Additionally, ‘Operation Invictus Civitas’ resulted in the seizure of 33 firearms, nearly 4.5 pounds of controlled substances, over $37,000 in U.S. currency, a ballistic vest, and 12 vehicles that were either stolen and recovered or seized as a result of criminal activity.

“Fifty-four percent of the arrests were gang-related,” explained William D. Hyslop, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.

“No violent crime is acceptable in the Eastern District of Washington.”

William D. Hyslop, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington
William D. Hyslop, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington

Hyslop continued, “…it highlights the joint commitment, dedication, and partnership between our state, local, Tribal and federal partners in combatting violent crime and removing violent criminals and gang members from the community to face justice.”

“The revitalized Project Safe Neighborhoods program is a major success,” stated Attorney General William P. Barr said.

“It packs a powerful punch by combining advanced data with local leadership, further reducing violence in communities across the country and improving overall public safety.”

U.S. Attorney General William Barr
U.S. Attorney General William Barr

“U.S. Attorneys continue to focus their enforcement efforts against the most violent criminals and work in partnership with federal, state, local, and Tribal police.”

“The Justice Department’s relationships across the board have never been stronger.”

In February 2019, President Donald J. Trump explained at the Major County Sheriffs and Cities Chiefs Association Joint Conference, The cornerstone of our strategy is revitalizing one of the most effective crime reduction initiatives in history – Project Safe Neighborhoods.

This program brings together law enforcement, community groups and local leaders to get the most violent offenders in the most dangerous areas off our streets and put them behind bars as quickly and easily as possible.

(President Trump speaks to Major County Sheriffs and Major Cities Chiefs Association joint conference. Courtesy of The White House and YouTube. Posted on Feb 13, 2019.) 

“The 246 violent offenders safely arrested during ‘Operation Invictus Civitas’ are testament to the dedication and professionalism of the participating law enforcement agencies,” commented U.S. Marshal Craig Thayer, Eastern District of Washington.

Craig Thayer, United States Marshal for the Eastern District of Washington,
Craig Thayer, United States Marshal for the Eastern District of Washington

“Our communities are safer because of this success.”

“We recognize that there are still those who are committing illegal acts against the community, and we want them to know that we are committed to protecting the community from violent crime going forward.”

The Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force (PNVOTF) is a U.S. Marshal Service sponsored partnership composed of federal, state and local law enforcement officers from Washington, Oregon and Alaska, which includes the Benton County Sheriff Office, U.S. Border Patrol/CBP also nominated in the 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program), Chelan County Sheriffs Office, Cheney Police Department, WA Department of Corrections, Grant County Sheriffs Office, Kennewick Police Department, City of Moses Lake, Spokane City Police Department, Spokane County Sheriff Office, Spokane Valley Police Precinct, Stevens County Sheriff Office, Walla Walla County Sheriff Office, Yakima County Sheriffs Office, and the Yakima Police Department.

(Learn More about ‘Operation Invictus Civitas’, courtesy of TheTapChat and YouTube. Posted on Jun 28, 2019.)

The primary mission of the PNVOTF is to locate, arrest, and return to the justice system the most violent, most egregious federal and state fugitives.

‘Operation Invictus Civitas’ partners include the United States Marshal Service, United States Attorney’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Yakima County Sheriff’s Office, Washington State Department of Corrections, Yakima Police Department, Union Gap Police Department, Yakama Nation Department of Public Safety, Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Kennewick Police Department, LEAD Task Force, Yakima County Prosecutors Office and Maike & Associates.

Courtesy of the USMS

The United States Marshals Service is a federal law enforcement agency within the U.S. Department of Justice.

It is one of the oldest American federal law enforcement agencies and was created by the Judiciary Act of 1789 during the presidency of George Washington as the Office of the United States Marshal.

To Learn More about the U.S. Marshals Service please visit http://www.usmarshals.gov.

U.S. Marshals Service Honored in 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program

Winners to be Announced at the ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon at ISC East – Register Today

The Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program is specifically designed to honor distinguished government and vendor solutions that deliver enhanced value, benefit and intelligence to end users in a variety of government, homeland security and public safety vertical markets.

William "Bill" Bratton, former police commissioner of the New York Police Department (NYPD), the Boston Police Department (BPD) and former chief of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), will speak at the 2019 'ASTORS' Homeland Security Awards Luncheon at ISC East 2019, on Wednesday, November 20th, at the Jacob Javits Convention Center (Courtesy of Teneo Risk)
Bill Bratton, former police commissioner of the New York Police Department (NYPD), the Boston Police Department (BPD) and former chief of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), will speak at the 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Luncheon at ISC East 2019, on Wednesday, November 20th, at the Jacob Javits Convention Center (Courtesy of Teneo Risk)

The highlight of the 2019 AST Homeland Security Awards Program will be the ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon at ISC East, November 20, 2019 in the Jacob Javits Exhibition Center, from 12:00pm – 2:30pm, featuring keynote address by Bill Bratton, former police commissioner of the NYPD, BPD, and former chief of LAPD.

The 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program drew an overwhelming response from industry leaders with a record high number of corporate and government nominations received, as well as record breaking ‘ASTORS’ Presentation Luncheon Attendees, with top firms trying to register for the exclusive high – end luncheon and networking opportunity – right up to the event kickoff on Wednesday afternoon, at the ISC East registration!

2018 'ASTORS' Homeland Security Awards Presentation Luncheon
2018 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Presentation Luncheon

Over 130 distinguished guests representing National, State and Local Governments, and Industry Leading Corporate Firms, gathered from across North America, Europe and the Middle East to be honored among their peers in their respective fields which included:

2018 ASTORS

  • The Department of Homeland Security
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  • Argonne National Laboratory
  • The Department of Homeland Security
  • The Department of Justice
  • The Security Exchange Commission Office of Personnel Management
  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection
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ISC East is the Northeast’s largest security industry event and your ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon registration includes complimentary attendee access to the show.

Exhibiting and/or Attending the 2019 ISC East Conference?

Thank take advantage of this exclusive luncheon opportunity to take a break from the show – Invite your team, guests, clients and show visitors to a lovely and affordable plated meal event in the heart of New York City, for  a fabulous networking opportunity!

Congratulations to USMS in 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program!

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The Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards is the preeminent U.S. Homeland Security Awards Program highlighting the most cutting-edge and forward-thinking security solutions coming onto the market today, to ensure our readers have the information they need to stay ahead of the competition, and keep our Nation safe – one facility, street, and city at a time.

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Project Safe Neighborhood Honored for Fed Violent Crime Cases (Videos)