In a recent sweep described as a crackdown on violent crime, Detroit law enforcement officers executed 11 search warrants across the city and seized over 40 firearms within 24 hours, a move that resulted in several arrests and the retrieval of what Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison referred to as "a lot of high-powered weapons off the street," as reported by FOX 2 Detroit.
The aggressive operation unfolded Tuesday night into Wednesday, with Bettison noting the targeting of known criminals, which includes gang members and that these efforts were held ahead of the community-focused 'Walk A Mile' event where he engages with residents on neighborhood safety, the number of weapons collected spanned a variety of firearms from rifles to revolvers, as Bettison said, "We all know who they are," he said "We're definitely going to hold them accountable," this in a statement obtained by CBS News Detroit.
These searches, according to Bettison, are linked with multiple recent shootings including a shooting at a funeral repass allegedly involving retaliatory acts between gangs, "Right now, we do have multiple gangs on the east side of Detroit where there's been life taken on both sides, and this was a retaliatory event," Bettison mentioned in an interview with WXYZ.
Focusing on community involvement in crime prevention, Bettison lauded the influx of tips from the public that aid in tracking down violent offenders, and he addressed the tendency of some criminals to document their illegal activities on social media which provides additional leads for law enforcement, he expressed gratitude towards fellow agencies and community members alike for their contributions to apprehending these individuals the chief noted, "The tips are flowing in. They're giving me all types of great intel," he said "They're posting themselves with guns, they're going back and forth with the chatter," as quoted by FOX 2 Detroit.
