In a recent sweep of San Bernardino County, law enforcement agencies came together for 'Operation Consequences,' a targeted crime suppression initiative aimed at reining in gang activity and illegal firearm possession. Between January 5th and January 11th, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department – Gangs/Narcotics Division led the charge, joining forces with local deputies, and additional personnel from partner agencies to serve search warrants and make contact with known gang members and individuals barred from bearing arms, according to a statement by the Sheriff's Department.
The effort, which spanned locales such as Yucca Valley, Adelanto, Victorville, San Bernardino, Fontana, and Montclair, witnessed operatives extract 13 firearms, one of which has been defined as a 'ghost gun' an untraceable weapon lacking a serial number, during this period investigators have made 11 arrests, as the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors sanctioned additional funds explicitly for county-wide crime mitigation measures; these funds are meant to bolster qualities of life in affected neighborhoods by supplying the Sheriff’s Department with resources to enhance their services.
The San Bernardino Movement Against Street Hoodlums (SMASH) also deployed its Street Enforcement Team (SET) for proactive patrols, particularly in the Victorville area. 'Operation Consequences' is set to persist over the coming months with a focus on the High Desert and Sheriff's jurisdiction near San Bernardino city, as detailed in a report by the Public Affairs Division. The operations will incorporate various departments, including the California Highway Patrol, San Bernardino Police Department, San Antonio County Probation, and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, targeting violent offenses along with the manufacturing, possession, and distribution of illegal firearms.
San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Shannon D. Dicus stated that these coordinated law enforcement actions are crucial for disrupting criminal enterprises and advancing public safety in the region, the operation will take a multipronged approach to clamp down on violent crime, to disassemble criminal street gangs and to pinpoint and arrest individuals implicated in the illicit arms trade.
