SYRACUSE -- The City of Syracuse plans to use special federal funds to immediately deploy additional officers to police tactical units, putting more officers into areas impacted by recent violent crimes.

Mayor Matthew J. Driscoll announced today he has forwarded legislation to the Common Council for approval at its Monday meeting to accept $60,000 in funds from the U.S. Attorney’s office.

The funds would be used to add officers to several street violence intervention units including the fast-response Crime Reduction Team. The beefed up patrols are one of several initiatives developed by Syracuse Police Chief Gary Miguel in concert with other regional law enforcement departments.

In addition to the beefed up patrols, Chief Gary Miguel announced that Operation Impact patrols which utilize troopers from the state police and deputies from the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Department, will be reinstituted in the city immediately. They had been scheduled to start in the spring.

Chief Miguel said he also has reassigned manpower from other units inside the SPD to augment street patrols in troubled areas. Mayor Driscoll said, “Chief Miguel and his leadership team have worked to reallocate resources and develop new tactics to meet the unfortunate increase in violent crimes that accompanied the New Year in parts of our city. We are fortunate that other law enforcement leaders in Central New York agreed to work with us to meet this latest challenge, and on behalf of our residents I thank them for their quick and professional response to our request.”

Councilor Bill Ryan, Chair of the Public Safety Committee said, “The Mayor and Chief briefed me on the multiple measures they have devised to send a strong message that perpetrators of violent acts on our community will not be tolerated. My fellow councilors share my desire to move quickly to accept these federal funds to get officers on streets quickly where they are needed most.”