The Justice Department said Wednesday it will deploy nearly 100 federal agents to Detroit, Cleveland and Milwaukee as an expansion of its crime-fighting initiative dubbed “Operation Legend.”
Officers from the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Explosives will be dispatched to combat rising crime rates in the city.
The expansion of Operation Legend comes as state and local officials have become wary of increased federal law enforcement in major cities.
Several mayors across the country have warned the Trump administration about sending federal officers to their cities, pointing to the aggressive tactics used to battle the civil unrest in Portland.
On Wednesday, Portland and the Department of Homeland security struck an agreement that would enable some federal officers to leave the city.
The Justice Department, however, says the officers will assist in criminal investigations, not quell rioting.
“For decades, the Department of Justice has achieved significant success when utilizing our anti-violent crime task forces and federal law enforcement agents to enforce federal law and assist American cities that are experiencing upticks in violent crime,” Attorney General William P. Barr said in a statement.
Mr. Barr added that all three cities have reported a “disturbing uptick” in violent crime.
Still, the cities’ mayors appeared skeptical.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan on Twitter Wednesday assured residents his city didn’t initiate the surge in federal officers.
“Today’s announcement of additional federal agency staff was not initiated by the City of Detroit. So long as they are used in the continuing effort to enforce federal laws on illegal gun trafficking and gang violence, DPD will continue its strong partnership with those agencies,” Mr. Duggan wrote.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett last week said he was “extremely concerned” about the Trump administration sending troops to his city.
“I am extremely concerned that President Trump is looking for opportunities to create more political division in cities across the nation,” he said. “Federal agents are not welcome here for that purpose. If the federal presence is to truly cooperate with local law enforcement, then it is imperative the limits of their activities are clearly delineated and monitored.”
In Cleveland, 25 agents from the FBI, DEA and ATF will be assigned to existing local and state task forces under the direction of Justin Herdman, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Cleveland has reported a 13 percent increase in homicides and a 35 percent jump in shootings over the same period last year, the Justice Department reported.
Detroit will welcome 42 new federal agents from the FBI, DEA and ATF. An additional 10 Detroit ATF agents will work on violent gun crimes in the city.
Homicides in Detroit are up nearly 31 percent and shootings have skyrocketed by 53 percent from the same time in 2019, according to the Justice Department.
In Milwaukee, more than 25 federal investigators from the FBI, DEA, ATF and U.S. Marshals will arrive to work with existing state and local task forces focused on battling violent crime.
Milwaukee’s homicide rate is up 85 percent this year and non-fatal shootings have increased by 64 percent from the same time last year.
“The Department of Justice’s assets will supplement local law enforcement efforts, as we work together to take the shooters and chronic violent criminals off of our streets,” Mr. Barr said regarding the partnership between local and federal officers.
Each city will also receive millions of federal funds to support the officer surge. Detroit will receive $1.4 million to fight crime and another $2.4 million to hire 15 police officers.
Milwaukee and Cleveland will each receive about $10 million to hire police and parole offices as well as state troopers. Cleveland and Milwaukee will receive $1 million and $2 million, respectively, to fight crime.
Operation Legend is named after 4-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed in Kansas City while she was sleeping. The operation launched in that city earlier this month.
The initiative was expanded on July 22 to include Chicago and Albuquerque.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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