Congresswoman Terri Sewell pledged her support to help fight crime in Selma and Dallas County Thursday during a joint press conference with Dallas County District Attorney Michael Jackson.

Before the press conference, Jackson and Sewell met to discuss the ongoing crime issues in Selma and Dallas County, such as gang violence and drug trafficking.

“We have got to take back our city and take back our community, and I’m really here to be a support system to say that these folks have my unyielding and unwavering support,” Sewell said as she stood in surrounded by Jackson and members of the Fourth Judicial Drug Task Force.

“I will continue to do all I can to partner and bring federal resources here to help with the fight against crime.”

Born and raised in Selma, Sewell said she never imagined her hometown would be burdened with major crime issues.

“The reality is that cities like Selma need to be able to have federal resources to help fight this epidemic that we call crime,” Sewell said. “I just can’t imagine that my hometown now is so ridden with gang [violence] and the like.”

Sewell said she realizes the fight against crime will take more than just a local effort, which is why she is committed to trying to get federal assistance to help Jackson and the task force rid Selma of gangs and drugs.

“We’re going to clean up Selma. We’re going to have a lot of raids going on in the near future with our Drug Task Force here. Expect a lot to be going on in the next few weeks and the next few months,” Jackson said.

“We do a lot of things with the feds, and with the support of the congresswoman, we can, of course, do a lot more. This says a lot about her to want to get involved in the local crime issues that we have.”

Sewell said that she is also focused on the systemic issues that lead to crime, such as education, poverty and unemployment.

“You have to fight the systemic reason of why we have crime. That includes making sure we have good education, and that we have activities for our young folks to do [and] making sure that we address the systemic issues of poverty and unemployment,” Sewell said.

She also urged citizens to do their part in helping combat crime.

“I realize that fighting crime is not a one-person shop. It’s not just law enforcement. We as citizens have a role to play in that as well. If you see something, say something. We have to also be good stewards of our community and help our children,” Sewell said.

“I just want our young folks to know that good things come from Selma. Good things can continue to come to Selma, but we have to help each other.”

Sewell was in Selma Thursday as one of the many stops while she is on her two week district work period away from Washington, D.C. Sewell also toured the Black Belt Community Foundation’s new Head Start facility and spoke with students at School of Discovery about citizenship.