Dozens of Birmingham police officers on Tuesday launched the city’s end-of-the year crime suppression push.

The officers met outside the Crossplex to kick off Operation All Out, which has been an ongoing initiative in the city for at least 11 years. The initiative will run through Dec. 31.

“It is an enhanced police presence during the holiday season,’’ said Birmingham Interim Police Chief Michael Pickett.

“We know more people are out, more people are traveling in from out of state, more families are together, and we want to make sure that people in our city feel safe.”

For the first time, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is taking part in the annual operation. The partnership between the two agencies has increased in recent years.

“As we planned for this year, we said there’s no better time than now to continue what we already have been doing,’’ Pickett said. “The sheriff offered their services and we’re very appreciative of that to have a more dynamic impact.’’

Roughly 50 officers will work together – often in smaller teams – to saturate problem areas. Those officers are additional resources who are not subject to answering 911 calls for service during their shift. They are strictly proactive.

“These aren’t officers we’re pulling from patrol,’’ Pickett said. “It will not deplete any resources that the community has when they call 911. It will only enhance it.”

Birmingham police officials meet every day to look at crime and crime trends for the previous 24 hours, and Operation All Out will help target those areas.

“We’re moving In the direction where we’re an intelligence led police department so we’re going to make sure we have those resources in the right places, utilizing our Real Time Crime Center as well as the Metro Area Crime Center to make sure we’re deploying our resources as best as possible to ensure we have a safe holiday season,’’ Pickett said.

Typically, police say, robberies and thefts pick up during December. Thieves are looking for easy money and easy targets.

“We know where those opportunistic areas are,’’ Pickett said, “shopping centers and things of that nature so we’ll be focusing in on those locations as well as any place else our crime analysts notate.”

Both the presence of, and the enforcement by, the Operation All Out teams, make a difference. At least 40 felony arrests were made during Operation Close Out last year.

“During the holiday season, we want everybody to feel safe to go out and shop and have a fun time with your family,’’ Sheriff Mark Pettway said.

“We’re working together to make sure we can do that,’’ he said. “Together we can do more, and we’re looking to do more right here in Birmingham and throughout Jefferson County.”

“We have a zero tolerance for any criminal activity,’’ Pettway said, “that will be taking place during the holiday season.”