CLEVELAND, OH—The Federal Bureau of Investigation is marking the 45th anniversary of the creation of its first Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). Formed in New York in 1980, the first JTTF became a model for law enforcement cooperation across the nation.

The Cleveland Field Office organized its JTTF in July of 2001. JTTFs, which operate 24/7, can be found at each of the FBI’s 55 field offices and many of their smaller offices—280 locations in all. The Cleveland JTTF is responsible for terrorism-related matters across 40 counties throughout Northern Ohio.

The JTTF gathers investigators, intelligence analysts, linguists, and tactical experts from federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies to share intelligence and investigative leads, disrupt terrorist activity, and respond to threats and incidents.

“The safety of our communities does not rest solely with one agency. It takes a well-structured collaborative effort to protect the nearly 6 million residents of Northern Ohio against threats of terrorism, both foreign and domestic,” said FBI Cleveland Acting Special Agent in Charge Charles Johnston. “Every day, the men and women of our Joint Terrorism Task Force chase down leads, gather evidence, and make arrests that help to keep those who would bring harm to our communities off the streets. Our JTTF members, with an unparalleled depth of expertise, also provide security for high-profile events, and respond to large-scale crisis incidents, whether they occur across Northern Ohio or in support of other field offices through deployment.”

The FBI’s JTTF model dates to 1979, when the New York Police Department and the FBI’s New York Field Office created a joint task force to tackle violent bank robberies. They imitated the model in 1980, when terrorist bombings, bomb threats, and other violence plagued the city, and announced the formation of the first JTTF in April 1980.

After the 9/11 attacks, FBI leadership directed all FBI field offices to establish a JTTF. In addition, the FBI established its National Joint Terrorism Task Force to support the local task forces in June of 2002. The NJTTF, at FBI Headquarters, enhances communication, coordination, and cooperation from partner agencies.

JTTFs have disrupted dozens of plots in the past four decades.

The Cleveland Field Office counts numerous disruptions of its own, to include thwarting plans to conduct targeted acts of violence, mass casualty attacks, bombing incidents, offers of financial support to foreign terrorist organizations, and the destruction of critical infrastructure. The insular nature of today’s violent extremists makes them difficult for law enforcement to identify and disrupt before an attack. Many times, a person’s family or friends may be the first to notice a concerning change in behavior that may indicate a person is mobilizing toward violence.

Report suspicious activity involving chemical, biological, or radiological materials to 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324). You can also submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. Your identity can remain anonymous.