BI STATE SECURITY

Submitted by ub on

Bi-State group of law enforcement and security agencies say the have enhanced preparedness and coordination in the states of New York and New Jersey.

US Homeland Security, NY NJ NYC held a bi-state meeting of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. This meeting brought together relevant law enforcement and security officials to affirm and build on existing security and preparedness coordination.

In light of the growth and recent activity of extremist terrorist movements abroad, and the potential threat they pose to each state and their metropolitan area, this effort - coordinated with the Port Authority of NY & NJ - will bring together all relevant law enforcement and security officials to affirm and build on existing security and preparedness coordination. This will strengthen coordination between varying jurisdictions charged with securing high-risk entry points in the metropolitan area - home to the world’s financial capital, one of the busiest tourist and commerce hubs on the globe - including airports, ports, rail as well as cyber-entry point risks.

Both governors and NYC mayor met with the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Joint Terrorism Task Force, a federal group comprised of specialists from dozens of law enforcement and intelligence agencies. The meeting will include George Venizelos, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's New York Field Office.

The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces, or JTTFs, are our nation’s front line on terrorism: small cells of highly trained, locally based, passionately committed investigators, analysts, linguists, SWAT experts, and other specialists from dozens of U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies. When it comes to investigating terrorism, they do it all: chase down leads, gather evidence, make arrests, provide security for special events, conduct training, collect and share intelligence, and respond to threats and incidents at a moment’s notice. The task forces are based in 103 cities nationwide, including at least one in each of our 56 field offices. A total of 71 of these JTTFs have been created since 9/11; the first was established in New York City in 1980.

Today, the JTTFs include more than 4,200 members nationwide—more than four times the pre-9/11 total—hailing from over 600 state and local agencies and 50 federal agencies (the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. military, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Transportation Security Administration, to name a few). They provide one-stop shopping for information regarding terrorist activities. They enable a shared intelligence base across many agencies. They create familiarity among investigators and managers before a crisis. And perhaps most importantly, they pool talents, skills, and knowledge from across the law enforcement and intelligence communities into a single team that responds together.