Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday unveiled a new three-pronged initiative aimed at combating the surge of violent crime in several U.S. cities in the wake of George Floyd’s death last summer. Garland’s strategy consists of directing the Justice Department’s 94 U.S. attorney’s offices to adopt a set of principles aimed at improving the department’s approach to reducing violent crime, such as improving community relations and investing in prevention programs. The initiative will also require U.S. attorney’s offices to work closely with state, local, federal, tribal, and community partners to address violent crimes seen over the summer such as murders, shootings, and robberies. The current Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program will also be updated. “Today, we renew our commitment to reducing violent crime and building strong communities where all Americans are safe,” Garland said in a statement. “The deputy attorney general is issuing a comprehensive strategy to deploy our federal resources in the most effective …