A number of terrorist plots have been foiled in Ohio, including a 2012 attempt to blow up the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad Brecksville Station outside of Cleveland. The city had been designated as a high-risk target for terrorists, and homeland security experts are active in Cleveland working to thwart would-be terrorists and limit the damage from natural disasters.
Homeland Security Degrees and Training in Cleveland
Cleveland residents who seek homeland security training have options ranging from obtaining degrees in homeland security from online schools to attending one of the eleven schools in Ohio that offer degrees or academic certificates in the field.
Homeland security degrees available in the state range from associates to master’s degrees. Some of the more popular degrees that are offered include:
- BS Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness
- BS Criminal Justice with a Homeland Security Major
- MA Security Policy Studies
The state of Ohio offers certification to residents of Cleveland who are currently employed in homeland security jobs. Qualified individuals can apply to the Ohio Certified Emergency Management (OCEM) Program. Applicants are required to have work experience, although those with homeland security degrees can become certified with fewer years in the field.
Homeland Security Careers in Cleveland
There are a number of options for homeland security careers in Cleveland. In addition to jobs with academic institutions and private companies, there are over twenty public safety entities that operate out of Cleveland. Some of these include:
- Secret Service. This federal agency operates two task forces out of Cleveland: Financial and Electronic Crimes. They employ cryptologists, electronic monitoring specialists, and computer forensic specialists in addition to special agents.
- Cleveland Office of Homeland Security. The city operates its own homeland security section that maintains Cleveland’s Emergency Operations Center and employs intelligence analysts for its Joint Information Center.
- ICE. Cleveland is the site of a Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Field Office. It employs special and resident agents to coordinate the homeland security activities of law enforcement with state, federal, and local governments.
- FBI. This agency has a division in Cleveland. In addition, it operates a Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) out of the city, employing detectives and intelligence analysts to thwart potential terrorist plots.
- Northeast Ohio Regional Fusion Center. This center facilitates and enhances the sharing of intelligence and information among the public and private sector to plan for and prevent possible terrorist attacks and other types of criminal activity.