Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch released the following statement on the planned departure of Joyce White Vance, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama.

“Since the first year of the Obama Administration, U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance has served the people of the Northern District of Alabama – and all of the American people – with compassion and integrity,” said Attorney General Lynch.

“During her tenure, she oversaw the development of a comprehensive initiative to tackle opioid and heroin addiction.  She helped lead an ongoing investigation into abuse in Alabama prisons.  She fought corruption and brought actions to protect the rights of immigrants.  And she has been a valuable partner in the department’s efforts to improve relationships between police officers and the people they serve, including by welcoming me to Birmingham in 2015 during my Community Policing Tour.  In these and in so many other ways, Joyce has been a dedicated servant of the law and a tireless champion of justice.  I thank her for her outstanding contributions to the Department of Justice, and I wish her well in her future endeavors.”