Newton city leaders sat down Tuesday with Catawba County Sheriff Don Brown and District Attorney Scott Reilly to talk strategy on the newly launched Catawba Valley Violent Crime Task Force. The conversation centered on how the multiagency unit will track and disrupt repeat violent offenders who slip across city and county lines. Local officials said the effort is designed to pull in federal muscle on neighborhood cases and head off more serious violence.
Who's On The Task Force
The task force is led by FBI Charlotte and includes the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, the police departments in Newton, Hickory and Maiden, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the ATF, officials said. According to FBI Charlotte, the group is meant to serve as a force multiplier on cases involving gang-related violence, armed robberies and crimes tied to narcotics.
What Officials Told Reporters
Sheriff Don G. Brown II said the task force follows a “tragic incident on Walnut Acres Drive” and will zero in on people who pose a high risk of committing violent crimes, according to the FBI’s release. Catawba County District Attorney Scott Reilly told the FBI the goal is to “prevent violence, hold violent offenders accountable, and keep Catawba County safe,” adding that cases will be reviewed to decide the most effective venue for prosecution. FBI Charlotte carries the full official statements.
Local Meeting And Media
The sheriff’s office recapped Tuesday’s meeting in a Facebook post, noting that Newton Police Chief Vidal Sipe and other local leaders took part and highlighting a Hickory Police Department segment scheduled for Channel 9 Eyewitness News at 5:30. In print and online outlets picked up the rollout after the federal announcement earlier this month. For the on-the-ground summary of the gathering, see the sheriff’s post. Catawba County Sheriff’s Office Facebook
What To Expect Next
Officials say agents and detectives detailed to the task force will both back up local investigations and pursue disruption strategies aimed at stopping violence before it happens. Joint cases with a federal nexus will be coordinated with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina when appropriate, local coverage noted. Lincoln Herald ran an early local notice on the task force’s creation.
