AKRON -- Major 3-day sweep targets violent crimes and yields 32 arrests, 27 guns and 87 felony charges.
The police department joined forces with other agencies to pull off the major crackdown on crime.
Last week, in a three-day marathon of targeted policing, SWAT teams from the Akron Police Department, Summit County Sheriff's Office, FBI, and Metro SWAT worked in tandem to execute numerous search warrants.
Police and agents from local and federal agencies brought in 32 suspects, 323.9 grams of crack, 40 grams of heroin, and 1,632.7 grams of marijuana.
They also recovered 27 guns and $23,608 in cash and now have 87 felony charges and 25 misdemeanor charges pending against the 32 suspects.
At about the same time as the multiple raids, 40 law enforcement officers and agents walked the streets in the Copley Road area of West Akron to talk to residents about the recent shootings in their neighborhood.
APD teamed up with the FBI's Akron Resident Agency to acquire information about the violence and to distribute a resource flyer that contained "who to call" information.
These officers and agents visited over 250 homes and businesses in the area and received information on various criminal activities. Those who were not at home received the flyer on their door.
This effort has produced numerous tips and leads that are being pursued.
For anyone that wants to help our police and their partners, information can be given anonymously by going to Akroncops or you can call:
- Akron Police Department Detective Bureau Felony Criminal Investigations 330-375-2490
- Gang Unit Violent Street Gangs 330-375-2911
- Anti-Violence Bureau Drugs/Violence 330-375-2602
- Summit County Sheriff Drug Unit Drugs 330-643-2170
- Crime Stoppers Crime/Other 330-434-2677
- Federal Agencies Federal Bureau of Investigation 330-535-6156
- Bureau of Alcohol, tobacco, Firearms and Explosives 216-573-8100
- US Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force 866-492-6833
- Drug Enforcement Administration 216-274-3600
Not only is Akron beefing up its enforcement in Akron's "hot spots," but Akron's narcotic's team is on its way to tripling its number of meth lab take downs from its high last year of 77.
Akron's highly trained and aggressive narcotics unit has found an unprecedented 70 meth labs so far this year.
"Our narcotics officers assigned to investigate meth labs were recently featured in Cleveland's Scene magazine for their exemplary work," noted Akron Police Chief James Nice.
The on-going collaboration of the Akron Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation , the Summit County Drug Unit, the METRO Swat Team, the Safe Streets Task Force, and the U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force, has blind-sided Akron area criminals.
These local and federal agencies are coordinating their efforts to significantly reduce violent crimes in Akron by identifying and eliminating the criminal element, pulling guns off the streets, and diminishing illegal drug distribution.
The city will continue partnering with these agencies in order to ramp up its street enforcement, drug busts, raids, and on-going investigations.
WKYC-TV