Federal and local law enforcement agencies on Wednesday, March 20, announced a new initiative targeting the region’s most violent criminals with an emphasis on those involving gun-related violence and offenses, as well as commercial robberies.
As part of Operation Safe Cities, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will take on more cases involving the “worst of the worst” and “the most violent criminals” in Southern California, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said at a Wednesday morning press conference.
Part of the initiative includes federal prosecutors working with local police agencies to identify cases that warrant federal prosecution, where federal sentencing guidelines could put criminals in prison for longer periods of time with no parole, officials said.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna and Los Angeles Police Department Chief Dominic Choi were among those who joined Estrada at Wednesday’s press conference. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office was also partnering with the U.S. Attorney’s Office on the initiative.
The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms will also be involved in working investigations and cases for federal prosecution, officials said.
The Department of Justice anticipates more local agencies will join in the initiative, officials said.
“People in all neighborhoods deserve to live in safety,” Estrada said. “It’s not right that people feel unsafe going to stores, it’s not right that people feel unsafe while buying food, it’s not right that people feel unsafe walking down the street. It’s important we take action.”
The initiative, Estrada said, is in response to the rise in violent crime in recent years across the country, which he attributed to an ease of access to guns, “especially with the rise of ‘ghost’ guns, which allows anyone to make a gun,” leading to brazen crimes on the streets and guns being used in robberies, extortions and kidnappings.
Estrada characterized Operation Safe…
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