US President Donald Trump has decided to deploy a surge of federal law enforcement agents to US cities in a bid to launch a crackdown on crime. Chicago and two other Democrats-led cities are among the initial targets of the fired-up President. Amidst the new wave of violence, the Republican is set to send a new crop of federal security officials at a time when the existing deployments in Portland, Oregon have been criticized by the opposition. Ahead of election, Law and order has emerged as a new challenge for Trump after the death of African-American Floyd and tensions are high between demonstrators and law enforcement.
Protests have been slid converted descended into social interest in some pockets of the city. Controlling the latest episode of increasing gun-violence is also a key plank for the Republican as he enters November re-election.
Operation Legend
The operation is named after a 4-year-old boy, LeGend Taliferro who was fatally shot in face while he was asleep in his family home in Kansan City in June. The mother of the gunned murder joined the president at Wednesday’s announcement. Agents from the FBI, Marshals Service and other federal agencies will take part in the operation according to the US Department of Justice. Trump whose poll numbers are seeing a drop after his administration’s weak response on COVID-19, said: “This rampage of violence shocks the conscience of our nation.”
The President, who criticized his foes (Democrats) for being inactive on crime, said: In recent weeks there has been a radical movement to defend, dismantle and dissolve our police department.”
He blamed this for “a shocking explosion of shootings, killings, murders and heinous crimes of violence”.
“This bloodshed must end,” he said. “This bloodshed will end.”
He added: “No mother should ever have to cradle her dead child in her arms simply because politicians refused to do what is necessary to secure their neighborhood and to secure their city.”
US Attorney General William Barr, who was also with Mr. Trump, said they had dispatched near 200 federal agents to Kansas City, Missouri and announced that a same number is expected to be deployed in Chicago while 35 will be dropped in Albuquerque, NM. More than USD 60m in federal grants will also be released to increase the capacity of officers in the affected areas.
The attorney said the expanded federal law enforcement would include “classic crime fighting”, unlike the deployment of DHS agents to “defend against riots and mob violence” in Portland.
Mr. Barr previously announced a similar crackdown by federal administration on the ongoing rest in 7 US Cities in December 2019.
