Governor Summarizes Efforts to Upgrade Homeland Security

Governor Summarizes Efforts to Upgrade Homeland Security

‘Public safety has been a priority in the last five years,' says the Governor

Salem, Oregon—On the fifth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, Governor Ted Kulongoski praised the work of Oregon's police, firefighters, and communities for their efforts to make Oregon safer, and summarized state measures to upgrade security throughout the state.

"As a state, we have upgraded our efforts to fight terrorism and protect our citizens," the Governor said. "Public safety has been our top priority—not only to protect against terrorism, but also to fight illegal drugs, wildfires and other threats."

Since 2001, Oregon has invested $139 million in federal homeland security funds for planning, training, exercising and equipping first responders and public safety entities.

"More than 80 percent of this money has stayed in local communities, while 20 percent has been used at the state level," the Governor said. "In addition to upgrading equipment and providing training, we have focused on coordination and communication. As we learned from the aftermath of the World Trade Center tragedy, lives depend on making sure that police, fire fighters and emergency medical services can communicate with each other."

Communications

Last month, the Governor announced the distribution of over $7.8 million in federal homeland security grants to upgrade law enforcement communication systems in counties throughout the state. The state received $496,000 in grants to create the Oregon Wireless Interoperability Network (OWIN), a new portable radio system that will help police and emergency responders between Portland and Salem communicate instantaneously. The new hardware for the radios will be installed at existing tower sites between the two cities.

In many communities throughout the state, public safety agencies, police and emergency responders lack the technology that allows them to communicate directly with each other in their patrol cars or in the field.

"Police and first responders in emergency situations must be able to talk with each other, regardless of where they happen to be, or what time of day it is," the Governor said. "We must have state-of-the-art technology available in our communities, because emergencies don't respect county boundaries."

Office of Public Safety and Security

In November 2001—using state funds—the Oregon State Police created the Office of Public Safety and Security (OPSS) to enhance the investigation domestic and international terrorism incidents, the Governor said.

Thanks to OPSS, detectives can work with the FBI and other local law enforcement agencies on potential terrorist threats. The state and OPSS engage private industries to provide infrastructure security for important plants, factors and other installations. The agency partners with the Oregon Department of Justice in the Terrorism Intelligence and Threat Assessment Network (TITAN), which is a statewide network of federal, state and local investigators who share information on threats that involve terrorism. The network also helps train law enforcement personnel at every level.

The state and OPSS have prepared every level of state government to handle and respond to a security attack. The OPSS has worked to ensure all private and public systems—including ports, airports, rail and agriculture assets—are prepared to handle security threats.

The OPSS also manages the Oregon State Police Homeland Security grants the state receives from the federal government. Grant money goes to equip law enforcement officers with effective protective gear, as well as improve capabilities to detect explosives. The office also works with the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the US Attorney General's Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council, and other high-level public security agencies.

"The OPSS is a vital piece of the state's effort to keep communities safe," the Governor said. "I'm proud of the work this important agency has done and continues to do."

Disaster response

Utilizing federal homeland security funding, the Oregon State Police has developed and equipped the Disaster Response Team (DRT), which plans responses to incidents that involve weapons of mass destruction, such as large explosions or biological agents. Its members have received training in use of protective gear, as well as intervention and decontamination following any incident of this type. The agency has coordinated with the FBI's regional HazMat team in Portland.

http://www.governor.state.or.us/Gov/p2006/press_091106.shtml