WASHINGTON - At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) asked Attorney General Merrick Garland about the Department of Justice’s efforts to address violent crime, including carjackings.
Klobuchar emphasized the importance of collaboration between federal and state law enforcement agencies, highlighting the work of U.S. Attorney Andy Luger: “[U.S. Attorney Luger] announced a major strategy to address violent crime that directed federal law enforcement to prioritize cases including carjackings - we had a rash of those cases in Minnesota and the trafficking of firearms. Under his leadership, every federal prosecutor ... will now take on violent crime cases. Can you talk about how the Department's approach to focusing on violent crime is centered on partnerships with local agencies and what you're doing?”
Attorney General Garland reiterated DOJ’s commitment to working with state law enforcement to reduce violent crime: “I want to begin by saying that we well recognize that there is a terrible problem of violent crime very first. And the reason violent crime is important to the federal government is because it makes it impossible for people to go about their ordinary lives and carry out their civic responsibilities and their family responsibilities without fear. So the Department is very seized with this problem. One of the very first things I did after becoming Attorney General… is to establish an anti violent crime strategy, which involves the kind of partnerships that you're talking about and the kind of individual district-by-district determination that U.S. Attorney Luger has made in his own district as to what is most necessary in this district to fight violent crime.”
Klobuchar also highlighted her bipartisan COPS Reauthorization Act, which would provide resources to help law enforcement agencies hire and retain law enforcement officers: “Senator Murkowski and I have long championed the COPS hiring program through the COPS Reauthorization Act. I assume you continue to support that and continue to support the work that needs to be done to address police officer recruitment and retention issues?”
Attorney General Garland responded: “Oh, absolutely…We know how much difficulty they're having with respect to recruitment and retention. And we are trying to do everything we can both in terms of grants and in terms of expertise to help.”
As a former prosecutor, Klobuchar has led efforts to address violent crimes, including carjackings. In April 2022, she convened a roundtable with Minnesota law enforcement leaders to discuss ways to crack down on violent carjacking crimes. The same month, she urged the U.S. Department of Justice to prioritize resources for state and local law enforcement to address increases in carjackings.
A transcript of Klobuchar’s exchange with Garland is given below. Video is available for online viewing HERE.
Senator Klobuchar: Thank you very much Attorney General Garland for being here. I know a major goal of yours was working to build morale in the department, filling a number of the jobs. And I want to personally thank you for the work of the US Attorney's Office in Minnesota and our U.S. Attorney Andy Luger, who I know you know. And he actually at his swearing in announced a major strategy to address violent crime that directed federal law enforcement to prioritize cases including carjackings - we had a rash of those cases in Minnesota and the trafficking of firearms. Under his leadership, every federal prosecutor as you are aware in your leadership in the office will now take on violent crime cases. Can you talk about how the Department's approach to focusing on violent crime is centered on partnerships with local agencies and what you're doing?
Garland: I want to begin by saying that we well recognize that there is a terrible problem of violent crime very first. And the reason violent crime is important to the federal government is because it makes it impossible for people to go about their ordinary lives and carry out their civic responsibilities and their family responsibilities without fear. So the Department is very seized with this problem. One of the very first things I did after becoming Attorney General, this was I think in May, is to establish an anti violent crime strategy, which involves the kind of partnerships that you're talking about and the kind of individual district-by-district determination that U.S. Attorney Luger has made in his own district as to what is most necessary in this district to fight violent crime. Our plan involves three sets of partnerships. One is among all federal law enforcement - FBI, DEA, Marshals, ATF and Homeland Security and other agencies. So that there is no turf fighting, that we all work together in joint task forces. That those partnerships at the second level be expanded to state and local law enforcement, police and sheriffs. There are not enough federal law enforcement in the world to deal with the problem of violent crime. This is largely a state and local issue and problem and we are, they are our force multipliers and we are their resource and expertise multipliers. So in every jurisdiction, the U.S. Attorney is responsible for creating a task force of federal and state. And then finally, there has to be relationships with the community. As a former violent crime prosecutor myself, I know, we don't get witnesses to testify in violent crime cases, unless the community trusts us. The community doesn't trust us if we don't if law enforcement doesn't engage with them. Show that we're being honest and transparent about our work. And through our funding mechanisms provide grants for violence and eruption and violence and intervention. That's in a nutshell our violent crime program.
Klobuchar: Thank you for that thorough answer. I'm gonna just now do a bit of a rapid round follow up on some of these. You've mentioned law enforcement. You noted in your testimony that the COPS Office has dedicated $224 million to help law enforcement. Senator Murkowski and I have long championed the COPS hiring program through the COPS Reauthorization Act. I assume you continue to support that and continue to support the work that needs to be done to address police officer recruitment and retention issues.
Garland: Oh, absolutely. In the previous Fiscal Year, we think we had $100 million to distribute, which we did for COPS hiring, for recruitment and retention. In the next Fiscal Year we expect over $200 million for the same purpose. We know how difficult, police departments are, how much difficulty they're having with respect to recruitment and retention. And we are trying to do everything we can both in terms of grants and in terms of expertise to help.
Klobuchar: Okay, very good. In Minnesota currently a backlog of around 3800 DNA cases awaiting testing. Senator Cornyn and I are working together on the Debbie Smith Act and would that help law enforcement have the tools they need? Actually these numbers just came out yesterday.
Garland: Absolutely. I think that needs to be re-upped. And we are very strongly supportive of providing more funds to state and locals for DNA rape kits and forensic analysis and the like.
Klobuchar: Okay, I want to leave two minutes for antitrust. So just one quick other follow up Senator Capito and I asked what steps the Department has taken to stop the trafficking of fentanyl on the dark web. I know some of my colleagues have asked about fentanyl. Any update you want to give on that or you could give it in writing afterwards?
Garland: I'll give you more detail in writing. As you know, we had a major takedown of two different dark web websites which were trafficking in fentanyl. And we are continuing to investigate using our cyber tools to take those websites down and to arrest the operators.
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