Skip to main content

Law Enforcement Initiatives

As the senior federal law enforcement official in the district, the U.S. Attorney’s job is to help coordinate a comprehensive law enforcement and crime prevention strategy for Northern Ohio. The office works with other federal, state and local partners on wide-ranging investigations of groups and people that span county, state and international boundaries. Some of those programs include:

Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (LECC) is a committee representing state, local and federal law enforcement from all parts of the district. They meet periodically and concentrate on specific areas of concern for the district. The LECC Manager disseminates information about current criminal justice concerns and acts as liaison between a variety of agencies and organizations and leads communications, information sharing and training efforts.

The District Law Enforcement Coordinator, Tom Weldon, is the point of contact for law enforcement and the community. For information or assistance, call (216) 622-3600 or email at usaohn.lecc@usdoj.gov.

Northern Ohio Violent Crime Consortium (NOVCC) consists of representatives from the eight largest police departments in the Northern District of Ohio: Akron, Canton, Cleveland, Elyria, Lorain, Mansfield, Toledo and Youngstown, as well as county, state and federal agencies. They meet monthly to discuss trends, share intelligence and talk about best practices.

Northern Ohio Law Enforcement Task Force (NOLETF) is a joint federal and local task force located in the U.S. Attorney's Office that targets large-scale narcotics trafficking. It is a long standing multi-agency task force comprised of investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, Ohio High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Cleveland Division of Police, Cleveland Heights Police Department, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, Euclid Police Department, Regional Transit Authority Police Department, Strongsville Police Department, University Heights Police Department and Shaker Heights Police Department.

Stand Together Against Neighborhood Crime Everyday (STANCE) was established in 2006, after Cleveland was one of six cities across the nation selected as a pilot program for a comprehensive anti-gang initiative. It consists of more than 40 representatives, including public officials, community leaders, educators, public safety and law enforcement, juvenile justice officials and, foundations, faith-based organizations and members of the private sector.

The program targets specific high-risk neighborhoods in Cleveland by focusing on prevention, enforcement and re-entry initiatives. Strategies include promoting community-wide solutions to preventing gang violence, helping ex-offenders transition into productive community members and creating partnerships among law enforcement and other agencies to implement data-driven strategies to investigate and prosecute violent gang activity.

Violence/Gun Reduction Interdiction Program (VGRIP) is a program focused on reducing gun crime in Youngstown, Warren and the Mahoning Valley. It was started in 2003 and re-instituted in 2010, resulting in hundreds of arrests and more than 150 seized firearms.

The federal, state and local law enforcement agencies work together to put additional officers on the streets of Youngstown, Warren and surrounding communities to supplement regular patrols. They share intelligence and use crime mapping software and other technology to target specific neighborhood crime hot spots. The goal is to identify repeat violent offenders, with an emphasis on reducing gun violence. Those arrested and found to be in possession of illegal firearms, drugs or other contraband could then be prosecuted in either federal or state court.

Updated October 19, 2023