The Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) will provide investigative and security services for casinos expected to open this year in Cleveland and Toledo. The Ohio Casino Control Commission tapped BCI for the role, which it will carry out through a Casino Gaming Unit.
Kurt Shearer, who has been with BCI since 1985, is heading the new unit. His previous posts with the bureau include special agent in charge of investigations, special agent supervisor of the Major Crimes Unit, and special agent in Narcotics.
"BCI has a wide range of capabilities — from trained special agents to forensic accountants and computer crimes analysts — to help the Ohio Casino Control Commission," Attorney General Mike DeWine said. "And, as always, BCI will be working in partnership with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies on this effort."
The Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy (OPOTA) has lined up training for the BCI agents who will serve as gaming agents.
Executive Director Bob Fiatal said OPOTA will conduct the training in cooperation with casino operators Rock Gaming and Penn National. It will be led by James Edwards, who worked for more than 30 years as an agent with the Nevada Gaming Control Board’s Enforcement Division and recently retired as a senior agent and training coordinator.