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Trump to send 'hundreds' of federal agents to Chicago as part of anti-violence effort
The Department of Justice will send federal investigators to Milwaukee, Detroit and Cleveland in the coming weeks, according to officials.
Attorney General William Barr has directed agents from the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, DEA and ATF to join local officials in fighting violent crime; 25 agents will go to Cleveland, 42 to Detroit, and 25 to Milwuakee.
"The most basic responsibility of government is to protect the safety of our citizens," Barr said. "Today, we have extended Operation Legend to Cleveland, Detroit, and Milwaukee, three cities that have seen disturbing increases in violent crime, particularly homicides. 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. 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."
The Bureau of Justice Assistance is said to make $1 million available to support Operation Legend's violent crime reduction efforts in Cleveland. The COPS Office has also made almost $10 million available to the Cleveland Police Department to fund the hiring of 30 officers, five Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers, and four Adult Parole Authority officers.
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Last week, President Trump announced he was sending more than 100 additional federal agents to Chicago as part of Operation Legend.
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In early July, Barr announced the creation of a nationwide law enforcement initiative intended to send federal resources to states and cities seeing a recent surge in violent crime, according to an Associated Press report.