Mayor, Sheriff Announce 'Operation First 48' Anti-Crime Program

From the City of West Palm Beach: West Palm Beach Mayor Keith A. James and West Palm Beach Police Chief Frank Adderley joined Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg, and representatives from more than a dozen assisting local and federal agencies in announcing Operation First 48, a multiagency task force designed to reduce violent crime in the City of West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, and surrounding communities. Mayor James and Sheriff Bradshaw made the announcement at a press conference at the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) on June 13, 2019. Partner or assisting agencies include the Riviera Beach Police Department; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Attorney’s Office; U.S. Marshall’s Office; U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement; U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and several assisting agencies in Palm Beach County.

“With Operation First 48, we stand together in sending a strong message to the bad guys: You will not control our neighborhoods,” said Mayor James. “We are taking this action for our residents. It’s about them—their children, their families, their future. We look forward to working with our partner agencies on Operation First 48 to make our neighborhoods safer for all residents.”I

n delivering remarks, Mayor James expressed his thanks and appreciation to Sheriff Bradshaw and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff credited Mayor who first approached him about restarting the task force.”

"The bad guys ought to be shaking in their boots, because we're coming after you," said Sheriff Bradshaw. “We are going to knock your door down and take you to jail.”

Mayor Keith James has a vision of a community of opportunity for all with public safety as priority number one. The announcement of Operation First 48 follows last week’s appointment of West Palm Beach Police Chief Frank Adderley and West Palm Beach Deputy Police Chief Richard Morris.

For more information about the City of West Palm Beach, please visit: http://wpb.org.

For information about Mayor Keith A. James, please visit: http://wpb.org/About/Mayor-s-Page/Mayor-s-Bio.

For more information about the West Palm Beach Police Department, please visit: http://wpb.org/Departments/Police-Department/Home.