<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617041969513.png" alt="Some of the items seized -photo U.S. Marshal's Service" />
 <figcaption>Some of the items seized -photo U.S. Marshal's Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/03/29/more-than-250-arrested-in-shawnee-county-as-joint-police-operation-targets-violent-crime/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — An operation by 
federal, state and local law enforcement to reduce drug-related crime in
 Topeka has led to more than 250 arrests and the seizure of 24 firearms,
 nearly 19 kilograms of illegal drugs and $25,000 in cash.Dubbed Operation Frontier 
Justice, the 10-day joint effort carried out in mid-March targeted 
violent fugitives and gang members. Officials at a news conference 
Monday announcing the results of the operation said it was carried out 
in response to rising violent crime rates in the area between 2014 and 
2019.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617040620287.png" alt="Ron Miller, U.S. Marshal for the District of Kansas, on Monday announced more than 250 arrests and the seizure of thousands of dollars in illegal drugs, weapons and contraband during Operation Frontier Justice in Shawnee County. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Ron Miller, U.S. Marshal for the District of Kansas, on Monday announced more than 250 arrests and the seizure of thousands of dollars in illegal drugs, weapons and contraband during Operation Frontier Justice in Shawnee County. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Feuds between Topeka-area 
gangs have grown deadlier in recent years and these gangs have begun 
targeting area foster children, according to reporting by the Topeka 
Capital-Journal.To curb the violence, a 
cohort of law enforcement agencies led by the U.S. Marshals Service 
carried out Operation Frontier Justice from March 5 to 14.“These are not street 
sweeps or warrant roundups. These are targeted operations, targeting, 
organized crime and gangs,” said Ron Miller, U.S. Marshal for the 
District of Kansas “Without those three coequal branches of government 
funding, authorizing and carrying out the operation, it wouldn’t be 
nearly as successful as it might be if it was just a local police 
department or law enforcement agency that was executing arrests on 
warrants.”Miller was joined by 
federal legislators, local law enforcement officials and Shawnee County 
legal authorities to share details of the operation. Of the 258 arrests 
made, 138 were felony arrests, officials said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617040669786.jpeg" alt="U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran praised the collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement to curtail gang and violent crime in Topeka. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran praised the collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement to curtail gang and violent crime in Topeka. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a 
Republican, doubled down in appreciation for entities involved including
 the Topeka Police Department, Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas 
Highway Patrol, FBI and Drug Enforcement Agency.“As a result, a 
significant number of guns, drugs, narcotics, and criminals removed from
 the streets of Shawnee County,” Moran said before looking to the 
future. “How can we help further to combat the increasing amount of 
crime that’s occurring in Kansas? … It’s true across our state. This is 
not just an urban issue.”Kansas Highway Patrol Lt. 
Col. Jason De Vore said eight troopers and the KHP aircraft unit all 
participated in active patrols of established enforcement zones for the 
operation. Troopers conducted high volume traffic stops as well to 
disrupt and remove illegal contraband, weapons and other illicit items 
from the streets.Shawnee County Sheriff 
Brian Hill said the operation was critical in stopping current crime and
 would spark future investigations.“Consider this a 
successful operation, but more importantly, this operation didn’t end 
when the due date was over,” Hill said. “I expect the impact of this 
operation will be felt here in Shawnee County and help with actually 
fighting crime throughout our community.”Topeka interim Police Chief Bryan Wheeles said the operation proved critical amid a time when resources are in short supply.“When I took over, the 
first priority that I identified was to reduce crime in the capital city
 and this multi-agency collaboration dovetails into that premise,” 
Wheeles said. “I’m grateful to all the leaders of all the agencies 
because I know the challenges of resources right now and I’m very 
humbled and honored that they use those resources in this collaborative 
effort in my city.”

More than 250 arrested in Kan. sting targeting violent crime