Police Department, Public Safety

Hayward Police Department Plays Key Role in Operation Targeting Gangs

April 1, 2016

police officers arresting a man

HAYWARD - The Hayward Police Department played an integral role in a nation wide five-week operation, dubbed Project Shadowfire, aimed at targeting violent gang members and their associates and getting them off the streets.

The operation was led by U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and various local agencies, including HPD, and concluded on March 21.

All together the operation netted 1,133 arrests, including a dozen here in Hayward. These arrests included more than 900 transitional criminal gang members and others associated with transnational criminal activity, like drug trafficking, human smuggling and sex trafficking, murder and racketeering.

Most of the individuals arrested during Project Shadowfire were affiliated with gangs like MS-13, Sureños, Norteños, Bloods and several prison-based gangs.

Watch the national news story here.