07/03/2008

News / Ohio Homeland Security and Partners Promote Citizen Involvement in Ongoing Northern Border Initiative

July 4th holiday weekend critical time for citizen involvement

Vermilion, Ohio – Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS) Director Henry Guzmán, Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Deputy Director Anthony Trevena, representatives from Ohio Homeland Security, U.S. Border Patrol, Lorain County Sheriff's Office and local law enforcement today joined partners and community leaders from Lake Erie's North Coast region to dedicate a new boat, to be used by the Lorain County Sheriff in coordination with the Northern Border Initiative (NBI) to keep Ohioans safe.

The NBI is a collaborative Homeland Security effort among federal, state and local partners along Ohio's international maritime border and the Lake Erie shoreline. It is led by Ohio Homeland Security, a division of ODPS. Federal Homeland Security funds were used to purchase the boat for Lorain County, as well as two others being used by ODNR as part of the NBI.

The main goal of the NBI is to protect Ohio and the United States by developing the resources and capabilities to effectively protect Lake Erie and its waterfront from a terrorist incursion or operation, illegal smuggling of goods, or any other disaster – natural or man-made. Building from successful partnerships established during NBI's first season in 2007, partners are now working to increase citizen involvement in this program. The July 4th holiday weekend will bring thousands of tourists and boaters to the area, making this a crucial time to educate the public about how they can help protect Ohio's maritime border.

"The involvement of citizens is imperative to the Northern Border Initiative," Director Guzmán said. "Law enforcement resources cannot be everywhere, so agencies must rely on the informed, empowered and watchful eyes and diligence of citizens to report suspicious activity."

The citizen portion of NBI is an extension of Ohio Homeland Security's "See Something, Say Something" campaign, which works to create a neighborhood watch on a statewide basis. The "See Something, Say Something" campaign urges the public to contact local law enforcement or the Ohio Terrorism Tipline at 1-877-OHS-INTEL (1-877-647-4683) if suspicious activity is observed. Focusing the program on waterways includes looking for behavior such as: unattended vessels or vehicles in unusual locations, lights flashing between boats, recovering or tossing items into/onto the waterway or shoreline and/or transfer or people or things between ships or between ship and shore outside of port.

Just as it's critical to everyone's safety for motorists not to drive impaired or unsafe this July 4th holiday, it's equally as critical that those who plan to spend their holiday, or any other time, on the Lake are alert and prepared to assist in identifying illegal or suspicious activity. Cooperation and assistance from citizens will complete the partnership for the NBI.
http://ohio.gov/news/#070108b

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