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Working with the feds: Since 9/11, operating with FBI has been different for local law enforcement

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By JARED ORZOLEK

orzolek@crescent-news.com

The recent arrests of several individuals in New York and Colorado in connection with an alleged terrorist plot is a testament to the need for local law enforcement and federal officials to work together.

That's what U.S. attorney general Eric Holder, FBI director Robert Mueller and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a recent speech to thousands of American police chiefs at a conference for the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

The arrests indicate the FBI and other federal agencies are cooperating with local law enforcement to combat terrorist activities, federal officials said.

Napoleon Police Chief Robert Weitzel said his office shares information with the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI, sometimes using computer databases.

"Federally, we interface with an FBI agent that serves our area," Weitzel said. 'There is kind of a communication network in place."

The Napoleon Police Department also works with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to identify guns and contacts U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials when persons who are in the United States illegally are encountered.

"It's a workable system. It's been harder to communicate in the past. Since (Sept. 11, 2001), it's been much easier," Weitzel said. "I have never had an issue when I called an agency and did not get some kind of response."

The agency that Napoleon police work with most frequently is the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation. Police use this agency for help with DNA analysis, blood type identification and fingerprinting, Weitzel said.

Other local law enforcement agencies indicate that -- despite increased efforts at improved communication -- face-to-face contact between local law enforcement and agencies like the FBI is rare.

Henry County Sheriff John Nye said in the 1980s and 1990s his office had regular contact with an FBI agent that was assigned to Henry County. This agent was headquartered in Toledo and would meet with Henry County law enforcement regularly for briefings.

"If you needed a resource, he was your guy. Now, you call an FBI office and you may not know who you are talking to," Nye said.

The sheriff, who sits on a national law enforcement communications committee, said after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, federal officials became much more focused on preventing terrorism and helping local law enforcement agencies to communicate in case of a disaster.

"The lack of ability to communicate during a major disaster was a concern," Nye said.

The sheriff explained that his office works with the FBI to share information and said the agencies collaborate to help train bank employees about robberies.

"The FBI is still heavily involved with bank robberies," Nye said. "The world has changed, life has changed. It's not worse, it's just different."

Defiance County Sheriff Dave Westrick spoke of a similar relationship between his agencies and federal authorities.

"Since 9/11, the priorities are a lot different with the FBI," said Westrick. "Years ago, they helped us on drug cases. Now, we don't see them on a monthly basis, because they are looking for terrorists."

(Associated Press contributed to this report.)