Washington, D.C., has seen an 87 percent drop in carjackings during a three-week federal law enforcement surge, a statistic that even Mayor Muriel Bowser acknowledged as a breakthrough. On Chicago’s Morning Answer, retired FBI special agent and criminal profiler James Fitzgerald—best known for his role in the Unabomber investigation—joined Dan Proft to discuss what lessons might be drawn for other cities.
Fitzgerald said the deployment of joint federal and local task forces in D.C. is working well. Patrol cars now often include officers from multiple agencies, along with DOJ lawyers on the scene to approve arrests. The presence, he explained, has made communities safer, boosted police morale, and reassured residents. “People come out and applaud them,” he said, underscoring how visible collaboration can change public sentiment.
When asked whether a similar approach could succeed in cities like Chicago or Minneapolis, Fitzgerald was unequivocal. He argued that operational details can be worked out quickly through memoranda of understanding and joint training sessions. The real obstacle, he said, is political leadership reluctant to accept federal assistance if it is linked to former President Donald Trump. “Even if lives are being saved, some officials frame it as authoritarianism,” Fitzgerald noted, calling it a tragic example of politics outweighing public safety.
The interview also turned to the Minneapolis Catholic school shooting, which left two children dead and 17 wounded. Fitzgerald explained that while the FBI provides resources such as behavioral analysis, firearms tracing, and digital evidence review, the investigation will remain under local jurisdiction. He stressed the importance of examining not only psychological history but also the shooter’s full toxicology and medical background to understand contributing factors.
Fitzgerald suggested broader cultural issues are also at play, including the absence of strong parental guidance and the overmedication of youth. He argued that repeated mass shootings by individuals identifying as transgender warrant careful study, not political avoidance. “Anytime one segment of society is repeatedly involved in these incidents, it deserves to be examined objectively,” he said, while cautioning against sensationalism.
The former FBI profiler concluded that crime prevention depends on practical cooperation rather than rhetoric. Whether in D.C. or Chicago, he said, residents in the hardest-hit neighborhoods consistently welcome any additional resources that keep them alive. The challenge, he added, is whether political leaders are willing to put those lives ahead of ideology.