What federal agencies are joining Memphis police to fight crime?
Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. Some 13 federal agencies, including the FBI and National Guard, will join Memphis police to help fight crime in the city starting on Monday. Christopher Blank reports from member station WKNO.
Since President Donald Trump approved the Memphis Safe Task Force last Friday, wary community leaders have debated enhanced public safety versus the optics of a military presence. Governor Lee stressed a cautious approach.
The operation itself will develop as the need is understood on the ground.
Though the city's crime rate hit a 25-year low in the past eight months, officials are aiming for permanent reductions.
We don't know how long it will take for that to work, but however long it takes.
To start, the governor pledged more than 300 state troopers and $100 million toward crime-fighting technology. Troops, he says, will be unarmed unless local law enforcement requests otherwise and will have no power to make arrests. For NPR News, I'm Christopher Blank in Memphis.
During President Trump's campaign last year, he promised to use the justice system to seek retribution against his perceived political enemies. Now, as NPR's Mara Liason tells us, he's made good on that promise. He did it Thursday when former FBI Director James Comey was indicted on charges of lying to Congress.
He specifically told the attorney general to go after specific people, including Comey. He said, do it fast. He clearly understood the clock was ticking. And the interesting thing is, it doesn't matter if this case is weak or strong. He's sending a signal to everyone else that I can bankrupt you. I can ruin your career. Even if I can't convict you, I can ruin your life.
Comey has been one of Trump's most vocal critics. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a speech at the United Nations on Friday, and he made this claim. Thanks to special efforts by Israeli intelligence, my words are now also being carried. They're streamed live to the cell phones of Gazans. But as NPR's Emily Fang reports, few, if any, people in Gaza heard Netanyahu.
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