| Submit your comments on this article |
| Home Front: WoT |
| Stores tread fine line in anti-terror efforts |
| 2007-05-13 |
| A tipster who led officials to plotters planning to attack Fort Dix was an example of how authorities often rely on everyday citizens to alert them to crime and how those citizens must balance privacy and public safety concerns. Authorities do not regularly contact electronics stores and photo processing shops to see whether they've spotted suspicious activity, according to several of the large chains. Instead, homeland security officials said they generally speak to businesses in response to specific intelligence. For instance, dive shops were alerted several years ago after officials heard "chatter" about an underwater attack on ships in a harbor, said Roger Shatzkin, a spokesman for the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness. And the office notified hospitals when it heard that people might pose as accreditation teams to infiltrate medical centers, he said. Otherwise, "We continue to push the public message that everyone has the responsibility to report things that are suspicious, unusual or out of the ordinary," Shatzkin said. Authorities do have regular contact, however, with businesses they consider important in terrorism-related cases. New Jersey troopers on the anti-terror beat routinely visit businesses in critical areas to "build relationships" and distribute fliers promoting their tipline, said Sgt. Stephen Jones, a State Police spokesman; the State Police would not specify what it considered critical areas. The FBI's outreach efforts include the "InfraGard" program, which claims 14,800 private-sector members nationwide. The goal of the program is to encourage private businesses in key areas such as computer security to share information in order to prevent attacks. "We want to foster relationships so people can feel comfortable coming to the FBI and reporting crimes or suspicions," FBI spokesman Paul Bresson said. Authorities hailed the clerk, who handled the video at a Circuit City in Mount Laurel, as a hero. But not all tipsters are well-received. Six Muslim men who sued US Airways after they were removed from a flight in Minneapolis in November when passengers reported what they thought was suspicious behavior have also threatened to sue those passengers. Circuit City spokeswoman Jackie Foreman said the tip actually came from a pair of employees, and that the Richmond, Va.-based company has "communicated its appreciation" to the workers for recognizing their "civic responsibility." The Geek Squad, a corps of 12,000 computer repair technicians working from 840 Best Buy stores, calls the police about once a month with issues it discovers during the course of doing business, said Paula Baldwin, a spokeswoman for the Minneapolis chain. |
| Posted by:ryuge |
| #1 The Geek Squad, a corps of 12,000 computer repair technicians working from 840 Best Buy stores, calls the police about once a month with issues it discovers during the course of doing business Thank you. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-05-13 17:38 |