SAVANNAH — Authorities in Savannah say 55 people have been arrested in an initiative focused on curbing gun violence.

Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police say Project Ceasefire is a program they've used to target convicted felons who have previously been arrested for violent or drug-related crimes.

The project is a joint initiative among the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Chatham County District Attorney's Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department.

Project Ceasefire calls for convicted felons to receive additional federal charges for possession of a weapon, and those penalties can be more severe than charges the felons were originally arrested on.