ATLANTA — Attorney General Chris Carr marks the start of Georgia’s first statewide gang prosecution unit, which went into effect Friday.

“With our first-ever Gang Prosecution Unit, we are devoting all available resources to disrupting the growing gang networks that terrorize our communities,” Carr said in a press release. “We will serve as a force multiplier by partnering with local, state and federal law enforcement to ensure these violent criminals are aggressively prosecuted and put behind bars. Every Georgian – no matter where they live – deserves to be safe, and we are proud to join this fight to protect our state, our families and our fellow citizens.

As announced last month, the new Gang Prosecution Unit is led by Chief District Attorney Cara Convery, the former Fulton County Gang Unit Deputy District Attorney. Convery began in her new role on June 16.

As proposed by Governor Brian Kemp and supported by House and Senate leaders, Georgia’s fiscal year 2023 budget includes $1.6 million to establish the new Gang Prosecution Unit. The creation of the unit is also made possible by HB 1134, a law that gives the Attorney General’s Office concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute criminal gang activity statewide.

This new unit is housed within the Attorney General’s Prosecution Division, which also includes the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit and the Public Integrity and White Collar Crime Unit.