Oakland police to launch 60-day federal blitz targeting gun violence

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland Police Department on Wednesday announced a 60-day enforcement operation in partnership with federal agencies aimed at reducing gun violence across the city.

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Officials said the effort will include agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), focusing on illegal gun sales and firearm-related crimes through undercover operations and targeted enforcement.

"It’s going to be kind of different deployment than what we used before," said Oakland Interim Police Chief James Beere. "There will be undercover operations. There will be directed patrols, search warrants, follow-up investigations. Obviously, it’s still going to be constitutionally-based policing, it's going to be laser focused on intelligence-led."

Assistant Chief Casey Johnson warned that those found with or using illegal firearms in Oakland could face federal charges as part of the coordinated crackdown.

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The announcement, joined by Mayor Barbara Lee, comes as city leaders report a 29% drop in violent crime in the first three months of the year compared with the same period last year, including double-digit declines in homicides, robberies and aggravated assaults. 

Officials emphasized that any level of violence remains unacceptable.