Merrick Garland meets local law enforcement amid heighted fear, 'potential threats'
United States Attorney General Merrick Garland met with local law enforcement agencies in northwest Florida to discuss shared efforts to protect communities in the face of heightened fear and “potential threats of hate-fueled violence and terrorism” as the Israel-Hamas war persists.
Tallahassee was Garland's third consecutive stop on his tour through Florida while talking strategy with local sheriffs and police chiefs Friday morning.
"I've directed our U.S. Attorneys to reach out to religious and other community leaders in their districts to reaffirm our commitment to assist them and to assess whether there's any additional support that they need," Garland said.
Threats against faith communities, particularly Jewish, Muslim and Arab, have increased since the war broke out. In response, Garland said he directed all 94 U.S. Attorney's Offices and the FBI to be on high alert and work with all levels of law enforcement.
"Our partnerships with federal, state and local law enforcement with the communities they serve, are at the center of our efforts to keep our country and our communities safe," Garland said.
Reporters were not allowed to ask questions and were promptly ushered out of the room after the six-minute press conference so law enforcement leaders and the attorney general could conduct their meeting.
Before reaching the state capital, Garland stopped in both Miami and Jacksonville on Thursday to spread the same message.
After addressing the elevated risks, Garland discussed the Department of Justice's dedication to supporting local law enforcement and attacking the fentanyl crisis.
The department is focused on "breaking apart every link in the global fentanyl supply chain," he said. The U.S. Attorney's Office in the Northern District of Florida helped spearhead Operation Agua Azul, a 20-month-long, multi-agency investigation dedicated to busting a major drug trafficking scheme.
More than 50 people were arrested in June for their involvement in the drug ring that spanned four northern Florida counties, including Gadsden and Jackson counties.
Garland also detailed the resources doled out to Florida to support "officer safety, health and wellness initiatives that help build trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve."
Both the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Walton County Sheriff's Office received $200,000 specifically to address access to health and wellness services.
"We know that when our officers are supported, our communities are better kept safe," he said.
The visit reinforced how important collaboration and strong relationships are between all levels of law enforcement, said TPD Deputy Chief Tonja Bryant Smith, who attended the conference today.
"Meetings like the one held today are of utmost importance in this line of work," Smith said.
Elena Barrera can be reached at ebarrera@tallahassee.com. Follow her on Twitter @elenabarreraaa.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: U.S. Attorney Merrick Garland warns of 'threats' during Florida visit
