(Posted Feb. 9, 2017)
By Kristy Zurbrick, Madison Editor
Choctaw Lake resident Peter C. Tobin is poised to continue his work as U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Ohio.
On Feb. 6, U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman announced their recommendation of Tobin to President Trump. The president nominates U.S. marshals based on senators’ recommendations. The full U.S. Senate must confirm the nominees.
“I am honored, especially to get both sides—Sherrod Brown as a Democrat and Rob Portman as a Republican,” said Tobin, who was first appointed to the position by President Obama in March 2014.
The U.S. Marshals Service protects the federal judiciary, apprehends federal fugitives, transports federal prisoners, operates the Witness Security Program, and manages and disposes of seized properties acquired by criminals through illegal activities.
Across the country, a total of 94 U.S. Marshals—one per federal court district—oversee the service’s operations. The Southern District of Ohio consists of the 48 southern counties in Ohio with court locations in Columbus, Cincinnati and Dayton.
Tobin said one of his top priorities is the Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team, a law enforcement organization created to arrest the most violent felons in the Southern Ohio District. Team members are agents, officers and deputies from federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Each is deputized as a Special Deputy U.S. Marshal.
“My major thrust is getting (strike team members) the best training and equipment we can,” Tobin said.
Tobin has been involved with law enforcement for over four decades, most recently as superintendent of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation from 2009 to 2011. He previously served as the Narcotics Division chief at the bureau from 1995 to 2004.
Additionally, Tobin has twice served as chief of police, first for the Powell (Ohio) Police Department and later for the London Police Department. For the first 24 years of his career, he held multiple positions with the Columbus Police Department, beginning as a patrol officer and eventually becoming a SWAT commander. He also served in the U.S. Army and Ohio Army National Guard.
“For four decades, Pete Tobin has served our state, working to enforce our laws and protect our communities,” said Senator Brown. “His military and law enforcement experience prove he is a dedicated public servant and will do all he can to protect the people of the Southern District as he continues to serve as their U.S. Marshal.”
Senator Portman commented, “Pete Tobin has done an outstanding job as U.S. Marshal, and I am proud to recommend him for continued service. Pete has a proven record of success and is respected by law enforcement officials throughout Ohio and the nation.”
To learn more about the U.S. Marshals Services, go to www.usmarshals.gov/.
