Baltimore Among 7 Violent Cities Selected For Federal Operation

BALTIMORE, MD — Baltimore is one of seven cities where federal authorities are providing an infusion of resources to combat violent crime. While crime has decreased nationally by 4 percent, officials said it has not in several cities nationwide that are seeing a surge.

Called Operation Relentless Pursuit, a new initiative will bring together federal resources in seven of America's most violent cities to target violent criminals and organizations.

"We selected these cities based on a number of factors," U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr said in a press conference Wednesday afternoon. In addition to having violent crime levels well above the national average, Barr said the cities were chosen because they had shown they were effective at working with partners and task forces.

These cities are the targets of Relentless Pursuit:

• Detroit
• Memphis
• Baltimore
• Kansas City
• Cleveland
• Milwaukee
• Albuquerque

Baltimore is the "robbery capital of the United States," Barr said, adding it "has the second highest murder rate."

Operation Relentless Pursuit involves increasing the number of federal agents "around whom we can create additional" task forces in the selected cities, Barr said. It will also provide funding for technology and equipment law enforcement will use.

"Operation Relentless Pursuit seeks to ensure that no American city is excluded from the peace and security felt by the majority of Americans," Barr said, "while also supporting those who serve and protect in these communities with the resources, training, and equipment they need to stay safe."

In addition to providing an infusion of federal agents and resources immediately, Operation Relentless Pursuit will provide $71 million in federal grant funding among the seven target cities that can be used "to hire new officers, pay overtime and benefits, finance federally deputized task force officers and provide mission-critical equipment and technology," according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.

This funding will build up state and local efforts around task forces, Barr explained, which he said could for example could provide an additional 400 police officers nationwide.

Partnering in the Operation Relentless are the U.S. Marshals Service; Drug Enforcement Administration; Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

“In spite of our efforts and achievements this year, violent-crime rates in our city remain stubbornly high," U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur said in a statement, as the city reached about 330 homicides for the year to date as of Wednesday. "Law enforcement here in Baltimore is committed to working together every day get guns out of the hands of criminals and off of our streets, to reduce violent crime in our neighborhoods. The additional law enforcement personnel and funding provided by Attorney General Barr and the Department of Justice will help us work our way toward a safer Baltimore."