Cleveland Reporter

Cleveland — Earlier on August 8, Peter J. Elliott, the U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Ohio, announced a series of strategies and investments that align with and support Mayor Bibb’s Raising Investment in Safety for Everyone (RISE) Initiative.  

“We are so grateful for the partnership we have with U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott and his team,” said Mayor Justin M. Bibb. “We are committed to an all-hands-on-deck, collaborative and coordinated approach to cracking down on crime in our city and, as we saw last summer, operations like this really make a difference.” 

The complimentary initiative, called Operation 216, includes additional resources and manpower from members of the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force across Ohio focusing on targeted hot spots in the city of Cleveland. Additional funding for Cleveland’s NICE Unit and Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department warrant unit will also be made available to assist in combating crime. 

“The importance of the teamwork and collaboration we have with the U.S. Marshals cannot be overstated,” said Cleveland Chief of Police Wayne Drummond. “The Marshals, Ohio State Highway Patrol and Cuyahoga County Sherriff’s Department are great partners year-round and we really appreciate the hard work that they do.”  

While the specific timeline and additional details of Operation 216 are confidential, the bulk of the operation will take place throughout August and September 2023. 

In addition to tactical support, Operation 216 also includes an additional cold case investigator assigned to work on unsolved homicide cases ranging from two to three years old.  

“Combating violent crime and arresting those responsible for these acts is our top priority,” U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott said. “We are pleased to be able to provide support to the Cleveland Division of Police as we work together to secure our streets and remove violent offenders from our communities.” 

Original source can be found here.