CLEVELAND — New numbers show 32 people in Cleveland have been charged with federal crimes under "Operation Legend."
U.S. Attorney General William Barr was in town on Thursday to tout the program where federal investigators work alongside state and local law enforcement to get criminals off the street.
Barr says this crackdown has nothing to do with politics or the social unrest in May.
"The primary purpose of government is to provide safety and the social justice issues and other things that people have could never take root or acheive anything if the streets are running in blood," Barr told 3News' Tiffany Tarpley.
U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman says lof the 32 people that have been charged with federal crimes since the initiative began in Cleveland, 22 are accused of drug trafficking, nine of various firearms offenses, and another of carjacking.
"Operation Legend" is now operating in 9 U.S. cities.
"We were looking for cities where there's been an uptick or surge in violent crime," Barr explained. "We're taking those cities and then looking at the ones where there's a really good police force, strong leadership, and the law enforcement had a good relationship with our federal law. Cleveland was one of the top cities."
Operation Legend drew mixed reactions when it was first announced, especially following reports of federal agents in unmarked cars arresting protesters in Portland, Oregon without cause. However, local and national officials alike have stressed this is much different, as agents are instead playing a behind-the-scenes role to combat violent crime in cities that need help.
The DOJ has also played an assist role in several cases with local jurisdiction, including homicides. Just this week, Cleveland police arrested a man accused of killing two people on Memorial Day after the FBI picked up the case, and a $25,000 reward had been offered for information.
Cleveland's homicide rate remains one of the highest in the nation, with Herdman saying the current numbers are on the rise from 2019. In addition, felonious assaults with guns were up 35% as of late July.
You can see Barr's entire interview with Tiffany Tarpley in the player below.