The Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office, leveraging grant funding from the N.Y.S. Division of Criminal Justice Services, has made significant strides in reducing violent crime through the Gun Involved Violence Elimination (G.I.V.E.) program. Launched in July 2023, this initiative unites various law enforcement agencies, including the Ithaca Police Department and New York State Police, to target shots-fired incidents and violent crimes in Ithaca.
From July to December 2023, the Sheriff’s Office’s focused efforts led to the arrest of multiple violent offenders and the seizure of several illegal firearms, drugs including meth, heroin, and cocaine, and illegal pills. This collaborative approach has notably decreased the number of shots-fired calls in the area.
Continuing into 2024, the program achieved further success with significant arrests. On January 11th, Ramal B. Abdullah was apprehended after fleeing from police, found in possession of methamphetamine, heroin, and cash. In another incident, Barbara J. Barber and Eric Walker were arrested on January 13th for possessing controlled substances, including meth and crack cocaine. Additionally, an alleged meth lab was discovered at Walker’s residence on January 14th, leading to further investigation. These efforts underline the program’s ongoing commitment to curbing violent crime and drug trafficking in Tompkins County.
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