>>> FOR THE 59th CONSECUTIVE
DAY, PROTESTS WENT WELL INTO THE
NIGHT IN PORTLAND, AS
DEMONSTRATORS TOOK TO THE
STREETS THERE AND IN SEATTLE,
AUSTIN, LOS ANGELES AND
LOUISVILLE.
THE PROTESTS COME IN THE SAME
WEEK PRESIDENT TRUMP AND
ATTORNEY GENERAL WILLIAM BARR
ANNOUNCED THE EXPANSION OF A
PROGRAM CALLED OPERATION LEGEND,
WHICH SENDS FEDERAL OFFICERS TO
ASSIST LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT IN
SOME OF THE CITIES EXPERIENCING
A SURGE IN GUN VIOLENCE THIS
SUMMER.
THE PRESIDENT HAS MADE LAW AND
ORDER A PILLAR OF HIS
RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN.
SO WHAT IS THE TRUTH ABOUT CRIME
IN AMERICA RIGHT NOW?
NBC'S GABE GUTIERREZ HAS MORE IN
OUR "SUNDAY FOCUS."
GABE, GOOD MORNING.
>> Reporter: WILLIE, GOOD
MORNING.
IT'S OBVIOUSLY BEEN A STRANGE,
STRANGE YEAR AND THAT ALSO
EXTENDS TO CRIME STATS.
NOW, WE'VE REPORTED THAT MURDERS
HAVE SPIKED IN MANY CITIES
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT ODDLY
SOME OTHER TYPES OF CRIME ARE
DOWN.
FOR MONTHS THE IMAGES HAVE BEEN
STRIKING.
UNREST IN MINNEAPOLIS, NEW YORK,
AND NOW PORTLAND.
SHOOTINGS IN CITIES LIKE CHICAGO
HAVE SPIKED.
THIS PAST WEEK, 15 PEOPLE WERE
WOUNDED DURING A GUN BATTLE
OUTSIDE A FUNERAL.
>> THIS BLOODSHED MUST END, THIS
BLOODSHED WILL END.
>> Reporter: NOW THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION IS SENDING
HUNDREDS OF FEDERAL AGENTS TO
CHICAGO AND ALBUQUERQUE,
EXPANDING OPERATION LEGEND,
ALREADY IN PLACE IN KANSAS CITY,
NAMED AFTER 4-YEAR-OLD LEGENDS
TALIAFERRO WHO WAS KILLED BY A
STRAY BULLET WHILE HE SLEPT.
>> HE HAD A LOT OF CONFIDENCE AT
4.
HE WAS SO FUN.
HE -- HE MEANT A LOT TO US.
>> THIS PAST WEEK HIS MOTHER
VISITED THE WHITE HOUSE AS
ATTORNEY GENERAL WILLIAM BARR
STRESSED THAT THE NEWLY SENT
FEDERAL AGENTS WOULD NOT BE
DEPLOYED TO PORTLAND.
INSTEAD, HE SAID, THEY'LL FOCUS
ON INVESTIGATING MURDERS AND
TAKING DOWN VIOLENT GANGS, AN
INITIATIVE POWELL SUPPORTS.
>> JUST GIVE IT A TRY.
IF IT DOESN'T WORK FOR YOUR
CITY, THAT'S OKAY.
TAKE THE POLITICS OUT OF IT
BECAUSE IT'S REALLY NOT ABOUT
POLITICS.
>> Reporter: STILL, MANY
DEMOCRATIC MAYORS OF SKEPTICAL.
>> THE PRESIDENT IS TRYING TO
DIVERT ATTENTION FROM HIS FAILED
LEADERSHIP ON COVID-19.
>> Reporter: THE PRESIDENT IS
MAKING LAW AND ORDER A CRITICAL
PART OF HIS RE-ELECTION
CAMPAIGN.
THIS AD PAINTS A DARK PICTURE
BIDEN SUPPORTS DEFUNDING THE
POLICE.
THE REAL PICTURE IS MURKIER.
WHILE MURDERS HAVE SKYROCKETED
THIS SUMMER IN SOME MAJOR
CITIES, OTHER PROPERTY CRIMES
ARE DOWN.
IN THE LAST MONTH ROBBERIES HAVE
DROPPED IN NEW YORK, CHICAGO,
ATLANTA, PHILADELPHIA, OAKLAND
AND SEATTLE.
BURGLARY AND GRAND LARCENY HAVE
ALSO FALLEN IN SOME CITIES.
>> WHY IS THAT?
>> AS ONE OF THE NATION'S
EXPERTS ON THIS, I THINK IT'S
VERY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO
UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE
ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA.
WE HAVE NEVER SEEN ALL CRIME GO
DOWN TO THE DEGREE THAT IT HAS
AND MURDER SPIKE IN THE WAY THAT
IT HAS.
>> Reporter: DR. PHILIP GOFF
STUDIES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
RACE AND POLICING.
>> CAN ANY OF THIS BE ATTRIBUTED
TO THE ANGER AGAINST POLICE THAT
WE'VE SEEN IN THE LAST COUPLE OF
MONTHS SINCE THE DEATH OF GEORGE
FLOYD?
>> THERE'S DEFINITELY ANGER.
THERE'S NOT YET DATA TO SUGGEST
IT'S MANIFESTING IN ANYTHING
LIKE VIOLENT CRIME.
>> Reporter: HERE IN NEW YORK,
THE NYPD SAYS IT HAD ALREADY
BEGUN TO SEE AN UPTICK IN CRIME
EVEN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, PARTLY
DUE TO A BAIL REFORM LAW THAT
WENT INTO EFFECT IN JANUARY.
SOME OF THOSE CHANGES WERE
ROLLED BACK IN APRIL, WILLIE.
>> SO PROPERTY CRIMES ARE DOWN
MARGINALLY BUT THERE'S NO
QUESTION MURDERS HAVE EXPLODED.
SO HOW LONG DOES LAW ENFORCEMENT
EXPECT THIS SURGE IN VIOLENT
CRIME TO LAST, GABE?
>> Reporter: WILLIE, THE EXPERTS
WE SPOKE WITH EXPECT ALL THIS TO
LAST AT LEAST UNTIL THE END OF
SUMMER.
NOW, AS FOR PROPERTY CRIMES,
THERE'S A POSSIBILITY IT COULD
GO UP IF UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE
RUNS OUT, IF EVICTIONS RUN OUT
AND IF THE ECONOMIC PICTURE GETS
WORSE DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.