Agency Links
Office of National Drug Control Policy The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), a component of the Executive Office of the President, was established by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. The principal purpose of ONDCP is to establish policies, priorities, and objectives for the Nation's drug control program. The goals of the program are to reduce illicit drug use, manufacturing, and trafficking, drug-related crime and violence, and drug-related health consequences. To achieve these goals, the Director of ONDCP is charged with producing the National Drug Control Strategy. The Strategy directs the Nation's anti-drug efforts and establishes a program, a budget, and guidelines for cooperation among Federal, State, and local entities. By law, the Director of ONDCP also evaluates, coordinates, and oversees both the international and domestic anti-drug efforts of executive branch agencies and ensures that such efforts sustain and complement State and local anti-drug activities. The Director advises the President regarding changes in the organization, management, budgeting, and personnel of Federal Agencies that could affect the Nation's anti-drug efforts; and regarding Federal agency compliance with their obligations under the Strategy. |
Drug Enforcement Administration One of the cosponsors of the Lake County HIDTA is the DEA. Agents work alongside local officials on the Lake County Combined Task Force which targets Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs) involved in the transportation, storage and distribution of drugs in and through Northwest Indiana. LCCTF combines manpower from 10 area police agencies to include Lake County Sheriff's Department, Dyer, East Chicago, Gary, Griffith, Hobart, Hammond, Merrillville, Munster, and Schererville, as well as the uniformed division of the Indiana State Police. In 2004 LCCTF, established liaison relationships with Illinois law enforcement agencies and the Chicago HIDTA. |
Federal Bureau of Investigation The FBI leads a multi-agency task force targeting street-level violent crime and DTOs operating in Northwest Indiana, primarily with specific focus in Gary, East Chicago and Hammond, Indiana. In 2004, the former Gary Response Investigative Team and the Northwest Indiana Gang Task Force merged to form the Gang Response Investigative Team. The initiative has been extremely successful and in 2004 saw the indictment of 19 members of the Renegades street gang, who were responsible for distributing significant quantities of marijuana, powder and crack cocaine in Northwest Indiana and Indianapolis, Indiana. Agencies that participate in this team include East Chicago, Gary, Lake County Sheriff's Department, and Indiana State Police. |
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms The Firearms Interdiction Regional Enforcement (FIRE) initiative is an ATF-led, collocated, multi-agency task force which targets firearms trafficking organizations, as well as DTOs that utilize firearms during their illegal operations. The task force includes officers from five local departments to include Lake County Sheriff's Department, East Chicago, Gary, Hammond, and Highland. FIRE also ensures 100% gun tracing for all guns submitted by Lake County law enforcement agencies, as well as ballistic imaging and comparison through National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN). In conjunction with the ISC and Prosecution Initiatives, FIRE also includes a proactive program throughout Northwest Indiana ensuring that subjects arrested for firearms violations are subjected to comprehensive criminal background checks to ensure optimal federal charges are filed against convicted felons and career criminals. |
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The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program enhances and coordinates drug control efforts among local, State, and Federal law enforcement agencies. The program provides agencies with coordination, equipment, technology, and additional resources to combat drug trafficking and its harmful consequences in critical regions of the United States. Click the link above to go to the ONDCP web site where you can locate and contact other HIDTA offices. |









