Attorney General Merrick Garland meets with Treasure Valley law enforcement

Attorney General Merrick Garland came to Boise to talk with local Law Enforcement officials about extremism, drug terrorism, and drug trafficking in the State of Idaho.

• Merrick Garland highlighted the success that the Department of Justice has had when partnering with local agencies fighting drug trafficking specifically fentanyl, and on the terrorism front.
• Gave examples how the partnership is working, such as a recent the arrest of an 18-year-old man who planned to attack churches in Northern Idaho earlier this year.
• Garland left downtown Boise and was on his way to meet with Law officials in Wyoming and Kansas.

(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.

“When I became Attorney General three and half years ago, I knew the most powerful tool we would have in fighting violent crime across the country is our partnerships, with state, local federal agencies.”

Merrick Garland highlighted the success that the Department of Justice has had when partnering with local agencies fighting drug trafficking specifically fentanyl, and on the terrorism front. Garland mentioned a recent the arrest of an 18-year-old man who planned to attack churches in Northern Idaho earlier this year.

“The individual is to have alleged a sworn an oath of loyalty to Isis and planned to wage a heinous act against churches in Coeur d’ A’lene thanks the collective work of local law enforcement that attack was thwarted. The office will make sure that individual is held accountable.”

I caught with several local Police Chiefs and Sheriffs to get their thoughts.

Nampa Police Chief Joe Huff said this. “He wanted to learn and what was going on in Idaho, why and what we’re doing in Idaho against what can he do to help Idaho law enforcement."

Ada County Sheriff Matt Clifford added this. “We have a good relationship with our federal partners so our joint terrorism task force, we do work together with them and infiltrate the cartels. The Sheriffs can’t do it on their own.”

Canyon County Sheriff Kieran Donahue has been very vocal of how the Federal Government has handled the border crisis. “Is the federal government doing enough to secure our southern border? No, the federal government is not doing enough to secure our borders and quite frankly nothing against Mr. Garland’s position it’s really the administration.”

Garland left downtown Boise and was on his way to meet with Law officials in Wyoming and Kansas.