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Barr Says Crime-Fighting Initiative Has Cut Violence in US Cities

Masood Farivar

   WASHINGTON - U.S. Attorney General William Barr says a recently
   launched U.S. federal crime-fighting initiative championed by President
   Donald Trump has helped reduce violence in several major American
   cities, cutting in half the number of homicides in Chicago in recent
   weeks.

   "Together, federal, local and state law enforcement in Chicago working
   as part of Operation Legend and joint task forces have reversed the
   dangerous spike in violence," Barr said Wednesday during a press
   conference in the Midwestern U.S. city.

   The Justice Department program, known as Operation Legend, was rolled
   out in in early July to help U.S. cities struggling with a surge in
   violent crime and gun violence after a decline during the early months
   of the coronavirus pandemic. Under the operation, more than 1,000
   federal agents have been deployed in nine major cities to work
   alongside local and state law enforcement officers.

   As he has campaigned for reelection, Trump has touted Operation
   Legend's success in reducing crime in cities run by Democratic mayors,
   drawing criticism that both he and Barr are deploying law enforcement
   tools to advance the president's electoral prospects against his
   Democratic rival, former Vice President Joe Biden. Barr has dismissed
   the charge.

   Chicago results

   In Chicago, Barr said the effect of Operation Legend has been most
   dramatically felt in the third most populous U.S. city, where the
   murder rate in late July, when the program was launched, was up 51%
   over the previous year. In addition to deploying more than 400 federal
   agents in the city, Barr said, the Justice Department has provided the
   Chicago Police Department with more than $12 million.

   In all, Operation Legend has resulted in more than 2,500 arrests in
   nine cities, with federal charges brought against 600 defendants,
   according to Barr. In Chicago, more than 500 people have been arrested
   as part of the operation, with 124 facing federal charges, mostly for
   weapon and drug offenses.

   "The results of these actions speak for themselves," Barr said. "Over
   the first five weeks of Operation Legend, murders dropped by 50% over
   the previous five weeks. August ultimately saw a 45% decrease in
   murders compared to July and a 35% decrease compared to June."

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