Detroit Police 'Operation Smurfette' Targets Domestic Violence Fugitives
DETROIT (WWJ) - Detroit police have launched a special operation to track down dozens of domestic violence fugitives.
"Operation Smurfette" is named in honor of officer Anna Hamilton who was shot to death by her estranged husband who then killed himself a couple of months ago.
Smurfette was Hamilton's undercover name in the DPD narcotics unit.
"My mom loved being an officer. It was the one thing that she did love, and she would always say this is the job that God provided her with, so she wanted to do it to the best of her ability," said Hamilton's daughter, Seqouia Vance, speaking along side Detroit Police Chief James Craig as a news conference Thursday.
"I'm just so glad and proud that her work was appreciated and it still is; and that, in memory of her not being here, they're still fighting to help people that are domestic violence victims," Vance said, "...And that her work wasn't in vain."
Chief Craig said his department is looking for 264 wanted domestic violence suspects across the city which is on pace to have more cases of domestic violence this year over last year.
Aggravated assaults are up in Detroit, according to police — and a quarter of them stem from domestic disputes.
As of Thursday afternoon, 21 people had been arrested as part of the "Operation Smurfette" sweep.