The Department of Justice plans to roll out special forces to fight illegal gun trafficking into the San Francisco region and several other major U.S. cities. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the plan as part of Biden’s comprehensive, nationwide crime-fighting plan.
The agency announced five teams comprised of officers from various jurisdictions over the next month to combat violent crime, targeting smuggled firearms. It is part of a broader, more comprehensive plan President Joe Biden is expected to unveil Wednesday alongside Attorney General Merrick Garland, law enforcement officials, and community members.
The Justice Department said gun violence is a top contributor to the spike in crime seen throughout the pandemic and recovery. Many of the guns trafficked illegally can be traced to deadly shootings.
“Working with our local partners to tackle violent crime is one of the Justice Department’s most important responsibilities,” Garland said. “Our firearms trafficking strike forces will investigate and disrupt the networks that channel crime guns into our communities with tragic consequences.”
The five strike forces are assigned to designated U.S. attorneys in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) will support the efforts. Using coordinated intelligence, the teams focus on what the department called significant firearms trafficking corridors, attempting to intercept illegal firearms shipments and deliveries.
Related
Authorities have reported seizing thousands of guns in California that originated in Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, and Texas. Nationwide, homicide rates increased 32.2% in the last quarter of 2020 in cities with at least a million people, according to the FBI.
This crime-fighting strategy is part of DOJ’s Violent Crime Reduction Initiative to investigate and prosecute gun crime, which department officials have called an “enforcement priority.”
In his speech Wednesday, President Biden is expected to announce several executive actions.