"NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Bullet-riddled windows, yellow crime scene tape, and evidence markers denoting where shell casings fell on the sidewalk are becoming all-too-familiar sights on New York City streets.

Now in an unprecedented move, a federal agency is joining the effort to get gun crimes under control, CBS2’s Marcia Kramer reported Monday.

Kramer is told it was a collective decision made by the federal government, the NYPD, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Those agencies are mounting a first-ever anti-gun initiative in high-crime areas.

“There’s going to be an increase in federal arrests – no doubt,” said AFT agent Charles Mulham.

Mulham’s words were intended to be a stiff warning to city residents who would carry weapons, and seem all to ready to use them. They will not only have to deal with the NYPD, but they will have the feds on their tail too.

ATF agents have mounted a first-ever summer gun initiative to get illegal weapons off the street.

And when the feds get involved, Mulham warned, “In many cases, the punishment is more severe.”

And Mulham said the feds will not rest with nabbing the triggerman.

“Of course, when the ATF gets involved with our resources and our tracing expertise, we’ll be able to figure out if weapon is part of an interstate trafficking operation,” Mulham said.

With the increase in gun violence this summer, many more local shooting cases will be reviewed for possible prosecution in federal court.

“Now the government will even be also scrutinize the one-time felons, and they don’t necessarily have to have violent backgrounds,” Mulham said. “They can be people with non-violent backgrounds, but have a felony nonetheless, and now arrested with a weapon.”

The initiative comes as the NYPD is dealing with a surge in gun crimes. This past weekend alone, there were 13 shooting incidents – 17 victims, and two homicides."

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/06/15/c...-atf-gun-crime/

This story lends itself immediately to several observations:

(1) Federal agencies are now going to assist local law enforcement in crime control? This couldn't be a test in furtherance of the federalization of all our police, could it?

(2) A surge in gun crimes? Gee, that couldn't be the result of De Blasio's policies of reining in the police, could it? And if we were to return to the stop and frisk rules of Bloomberg/Giuliani would we then see a decrease in gun crimes as we did before and thus no need for federal "help?

(3) How can a city with one of the strictest anti-gun policies in the nation be experiencing a "surge in gun crimes"? Could it be gun control simply doesn't work when it comes to criminals?

Really? And what about the inconsistencies [current] between Federal Gun Law [see so-called 'assault weapons'] and Randy Andy's SAFE ACT. The Feds gonna toss an AK carrying suspect back?