CLEVELAND — On Wednesday, The White House confirmed that additional federal agents would be sent to Cleveland as part of a U.S. Department of Justice initiative "to quell the unacceptable levels of recent violence in U.S. cities."
During a press conference, when asked if he supports the arrival of federal agents in Cleveland, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine responded saying his supports positive relationships between all government agencies.
"What I think the public needs to understand is that when the system works well, the federal government, whether they be DEA agents, whether they be the FBI or any other department works all the time with the state, works all the time with local officials," he explained. "That type of relationship is healthy. That is very very good and to my knowledge that is what this relationship is going to be in regard to Cleveland and the federal government," he continued.
Gov. DeWine also mentioned that he's been in contact with Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and doesn't foresee a situation similar to Portland occurring in Cleveland.
"It is my understanding, I think it's the mayor's understanding as well, that the help that they are going to get is a very different type of help than you saw in Portland," DeWine explained. " It is not my understanding that we're going to see anything like that in Cleveland," he said.
The move to deploy federal agents is part of President Donald Trump's "Operation Legend," which arose amid his claims of "a radical movement to defund, dismantle and dissolve our police department."
The feds are already in Portland, Oregon and will next go to Kansas City, Chicago, and Albuquerque before eventual expansion into Cleveland, Detroit, and Milwaukee.
