FBI Indianapolis announced it is coordinating with the Homeland Security Investigations for a first-of-its-kind Homeland Security Task Force to address violent crime nationwide.
The Crossroads of America Task Force will include local law enforcement partners to target cartels, foreign terrorist organizations and transnational gangs, the group said.
“The FBI, HSI and our law enforcement partners stand united behind a single, unwavering mission: protecting the American people,” Timothy J. O’Malley, special agent in charge of FBI Indianapolis, said. “Through the Crossroads of America Homeland Security Task Force, we’re sending a clear message to those who threaten our communities – your time here is over. We will find you; we will stop you, and we will not allow our citizens to become your next victims.”
The Crossroads of America Task Force will rally forces from dozens of federal agencies as well as state and local partners across all 50 states and will serve as a model for protecting the country from evolving threats, safeguarding critical infrastructure and enhancing national resilience, officials said. In addition to the FBI and HSI, the agencies involved include the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, the Internal Revenue Service, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Plainfield Police Department and the Indiana National Guard, among others.
“The Homeland Security Task Force is a vital initiative to protect the American people and dismantle dangerous transnational criminal organizations. Through unprecedented coordination, HSI and our law enforcement partners will target drug cartels and other terrorist organizations to safeguard communities across the nation. This unified effort reflects our unwavering commitment to keeping America safe,” Matthew J. Scarpino, special agent in charge of HSI Chicago said.