(Cuyahoga County) - Cleveland Police are taking part in a crime-fighting operation called "Operation We Are CLE", it's focused on rounding up wanted felons.
Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams says they have partnered with county, state, and federal law enforcement to bring extra agents, and officers to town to arrest suspects and wanted criminals who have been operating here.
Operation We Are CLE is the brainchild of U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott, and Cleveland Councilman Mike Polensek.
Williams says this is just phase one of the operation. He urges citizens to report any criminal activity of wanted suspects hiding out in their neighborhoods.
Law enforcers announced the arrests of more than 200 people, confiscation of 36 firearms and seizure of 60 kilograms of cocaine and nearly five kilograms of heroin in Cleveland.From April 23 through May 18, law enforcement conducted coordinated activities focused on specific neighborhoods.
Activities included searches for people with outstanding warrants, particularly post-release control violators, vice operations, vehicle checkpoints, traffic enforcement, and other tactics.
During that time period, firearms arrests were up 175 percent over the same period last year in a targeted police district in Cleveland.
They report, homicides were down 20 percent citywide during the first phase of Operation We Are CLE.
It is anticipated that many of these arrests and seizures of drugs and firearms will result in charges being filed in U.S. District Court in Cleveland.
The Marshals Service, working with Cleveland police, targeted and arrested violent fugitives.
The Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department did address checks on registered sex offenders. The FBI and Cleveland Division of Police worked together to identify and target criminals involved in firearms violence. T
he DEA seized 60 kilograms of cocaine, approximately 4.7 kilograms of heroin, 100 grams of a fentanyl/carfentanil mixture, seven firearms and $271,000 in cash.
Participating agencies include: the U.S. Marshals Service, DEA, the Cleveland Division of Police, the Ohio Adult Parole Authority, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.The second phase of the operation is currently underway.
(Photos by Ken Robinson/WTAM)
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