US AG William Barr visits Detroit after launch of Operation Legend

DETROIT (FOX 2) - U.S. Attorney General William Barr spent Tuesday morning with Detroit Police Chief James Craig touting Operation Legend, a program that's brought in more federal law enforcement.

The federal government sent agents into cities including Detroit as part of a program aimed at cracking down on violent crime. But critics feared the agents would face off against protesters, like what the country saw play out in Portland.

"So what we have done is just turning up, ratcheting up, our efforts in certain cities where crime is increasing," Barr said. 

And despite what the critics say, Barr and Craig echo this has nothing to do with the protests, which are now going on 80 plus days in Detroit with some most recently chanting they don't want the feds in town. 

"It has nothing to do with tanks going down our streets; it has nothing to down with protest management," Craig said. 

Barr broke down the numbers for FOX 2 of what is happening behind the scenes with Operation Legend. He says 40 federal agents were added in the city along with more funding to bring on 15 more police officers and add seven additional prosecutors. 

Right now in Detroit non-fatal shootings are up 51% and homicides up 25%. Although the federal help has only been here a few weeks, both Barr and Craig say they're starting to see changes.

"We started just on July 29, we've already charged 22 people mostly for gun offenses and the Marshalls have caught 81 fugitives and, of course, the police department itself is making a lot of arrests," Barr said.

A conversation about police means a conversation about race right now. FOX 2 asked Barr about systemic racism in policing. 

"Racism in its worst form is some deep-seated hatred of another race. I don't think there's as much of it - there's some of it in this country among some people but I don't think it's embedded in law enforcement," Barr said.

Yet some would disagree and are calling to defund police and refund community programs won't be found in this particular federal program, but Craig says a safer city is what the local and federal partnership is about.

"We look forward to having a significant difference in violence in our city," Craig said.