Oregon among 7 states selected for Justice Department carjacking task force

PORTLAND, Ore. ( KOIN ) — The U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday that a carjacking task force will be launched in Oregon and six other states to combat what they describe as a threat to public safety.

This will involve focusing federal resources on expediting the identification, investigation and prosecution of anyone deemed a significant carjacking offender.

Furthermore, the DOJ noted the task forces will also work with state and local authorities in considering additional factors that can increase a defendant’s sentence beyond the base offense level in instances where adults use juveniles to commit carjackings. In particular, the DOJ says they will even provide grant funding for juvenile support resources in cases such as these.

“The Justice Department has no higher priority than keeping our communities safe,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “We do so by targeting the most significant drivers of violent crime and by acting as a force multiplier for our state and local law enforcement partners. We’re seeing results — with violent crime declining broadly nationwide,” .

The federal task forces will be led by 11 different U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the county, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, working alongside state, local, Tribal, and territorial law, according to the DOJ.

Monaco also noted how these new developments are meant to keep the momentum going on the success of such task forces in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Tampa. For one, DOJ data shows carjacking incidents in Philadelphia declined by 31% from 2022 to 2023 and armed carjackings went down 28% in DC in 2024 compared to the same time in 2023. Additionally, in Chicago, carjackings decreased 29% from a high in 2021 through the end of 2023.

“When prosecutors, officers, agents, and analysts come together to crunch data, share intelligence, and apply best practices, we can make real progress in the fight against all forms of violent crime, including carjacking,” Monaco added.

These task forces will also be launched in select districts in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, California, Mississippi and Washington.

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