Phase two of “Operation We are CLE” is underway. Only News 5 was there on Tuesday as law enforcement crisscrossed the city trying to crack down on crime.
“We all have different missions focusing in the same area with the same goal,” said Deputy US Marshal Josh Lowe.
The goal is to saturate some Cleveland neighborhoods with police and arrest violent criminals that police believe are committing crimes and wreaking havoc.
"A lot of our targets have been people with a long criminal history,” added Lowe.
The U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Taskforce is among the federal, state and local agencies taking part in the initiative.
On Tuesday, they were armed with arrest warrants for several people.
Many task force operations work with different departments, but operation "We are CLE" is different.
"All the law enforcement agencies are already there together. So, it doesn't require a phone call because the person with the agency that you need help from is right alongside you,” said U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, Justin Herdman.
During the first phase of the operation, more than 200 people were arrested, and police confiscated three dozen guns as well as cocaine, heroin and cash.
The U.S. Marshals Service, DEA, FBI, ATF, Cleveland Police, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office are all part of the initiative.
