U.S. Attorney, Mayor Signal More Cooperation In Fighting Street Violence
(CBS) -- Chicago's new U.S. attorney pledged Thursday to do his share in the war against inner-city crime.
Zachary Fardon made himself available for reporters' questions, hours after Mayor Emanuel and his police superintendent talked about their own crime-fighting strategy.
For the first time in a while, both parties appear to be on the same page, if you take them at their word, CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine reports.
"I think every day and every night about street violence in this city," Fardon said. "This office and the men and women in this office take street violence as seriously as anybody in this town."
Fardon was addressing the perception that federal prosecutors have been more concerned about high-profile public corruption cases over the types of cases that could be brought against gang members.
Earlier Thursday, Police Supt. Garry McCarthy talked at a monthly meeting about the latest crime statistics.
Emanuel stressed the need for help from his federal partners.
"Their oar's got to be in the water, with our oar, all pulling in the same direction," the mayor said.
Fardon says approximately one third of the 122 assistant U.S. attorneys in the Chicago office, are assigned to gangs, drugs and street crime.
"We have to be focused and careful and surgical to figure out who the most violent offenders are and gang leaders are, and we have focus our resources on taking out those most violent offenders," he said.
The resources are limited by sequestration, Fardon said.