MEMPHIS, Tennessee — Wednesday afternoon, a dozen of demonstrators waved signs and attempted to block a Memphis Police motorcade carrying U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr, from MPD's Ridgeway Station.
Our cameras saw two of those demonstrators detained by officers, just moments after the attorney general thanked MPD officers for their commitment in the community.
"I think it's the toughest job in the United States but today in this climate it's probably 10 times as harder as it's ever been," Barr said.
Barr came to Memphis to update the results from Operation LeGend.
The Department of Justice launched the initiative in August in Memphis and several other cites and brought in permanent and temporary federal investigators to assist local police in solving violent crime and arresting suspects.
"Businesses will not be able to take root in communities if the streets are shooting galleries, so the foundation for social progress is peace," Barr said.
Barr said to date, Operation LeGend in Memphis led to 64 suspects charged federally, 23 homicide suspects arrested, more than 1500 leads on gun crimes and hundreds of guns taken off the streets.
"People have to recognize there can't be a solution, without us, without law enforcement, it's indispensable," Barr said.
The demonstrators gathered in Hickory Hill Wednesday felt differently about Operation LeGend.
"Adding federal agents, just over polices them even more, it doesn't solve the poverty that they are enduring right now," Amber Sherman said.
To combat violent crime locally, the Department of Justice also provided Memphis with funding for 50 police positions, forensic specialists and technology upgrades.
