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TESTIMONY to the
U.S. SENATE, regarding HOMELAND
SECURITY
By Deputy Chief C. C. Cook
Good
morning to the members of the U.S. Senate, witnesses and
others present. I
want to give special thanks to Senator Fred Thompson, and in
particular his staff, Hannah Sistare, Jason Roehl and Morgan
Munchik for inviting me to speak today on behalf of the people
of Memphis. I am
Deputy Chief Charles S. Cook from the Memphis Police
Department here today to talk about the City of Memphis, our
preparations for possible terrorist attack, how we have
responded to the events of September 11th, and the
needs of Memphis in the area of Homeland Security.
I am sure our situation is much like those of other
cities our size.
Memphis and Shelby County hired an Emergency Management staff,
which began to implement and upgrade emergency communication
networks and warning devices, such as sirens and the 800 Mhz
radio system for interagency communication. The Emergency
Management Director began regular meetings and introduced the
concept of Emergency Services and designated the various
agencies into the 15 service functions. Each agency was given
a lead role in at least one function, such as transportation,
communications, infrastructure, fire fighting, etc.
The Local Emergency Planning Committee provided its support
with numerous resources such as equipment, the expertise of
its chemists and technicians and training exercises.
The Public Health Department and Hospitals began making
their contingency plans and sought grants for various needs.
A Tennessee Department of Health grant resulted in the
building of a Biological Level “B” Bio-terrorism lab
facility under the Health Department Environmental Services
Division which will be capable of testing for Anthrax, Plague,
Tularemia and Brucella and provided for the purchase of
pharmaceutical stocks, medical supplies and equipment and the
development of a medical response plan. This plan includes a
biological training program for local health care providers
responding to a bio-terrorist incident. This was purchased
with funds from a $200,000 Weapons of Mass Destruction grant.
Prior to September 11th, the Memphis Police
Department, the local F.B.I., the Memphis/Shelby County
Emergency Management Agency, the Memphis and the Shelby County
Fire Departments, The City of Bartlett and the City of
Germantown Police and Fire Departments began training with
Incident Command tabletop exercises.
Our focus was on natural disasters, the threat of
terrorist attack, school shootings and plane crashes.
This multi-agency training developed a team concept in
responding to large scale, long duration events.
Our departments began seeking further training for
various contingencies. In
all of the exercises, role players simulated their responses,
and as a result of the critiques and follow-ups, determined
that additional training, equipment and manpower resources
were needed.
Training in Responder Awareness, Operations Awareness, and
Incident Command was incorporated into the In-service training
programs of the Memphis Police Department.
All Memphis officers, and police service technicians
are exposed to the training.
The Memphis Beale Street Entertainment district began
to thrive under downtown renewal projects.
Downtown Precinct and Special Operations officers from
Tact, Metro Gang, Mounted and Traffic received additional
training in crowd control.
The use of these officers, in crowd control, became
routine and were often associated with Special Events, such as
New Years Eve and other crowd drawing events.
Because of extreme delays on the Memphis to Arkansas bridges
across the Mississippi river at I-55 and I-40, caused by
relatively simple accidents, a multi-agency “ Bridge
Mitigation “ team was formed in the year 2000.
Members of this group came from the police departments
of Memphis, Tennessee; and West Memphis, Arkansas; the
Sheriffs Departments from Shelby County Tennessee and
Crittenden County, Arkansas; the Tennessee Highway Patrol and
the Arkansas State Police; the Railroad Police; the Tennessee
and the Mississippi Departments of Transportation.
Various casualties including marine accidents,
terrorist attacks and any subject threatening bridge security
became topics of discussion.
Decisions regarding multi-agency jurisdiction in
removing hazards from the roadway were made.
The agencies took joint responsibility for patrolling
the bridges.
September 11th
Most police, fire
and emergency management agencies, during the first few hours
of September 11th, reacted by encircling the
government buildings in the downtown area.
We deployed our resources to include other targets of
opportunity including bridges, water supplies, power and
utilities and similar government related services.
We received numerous phone calls from businesses,
manufacturers, trucking firms, refineries, and other
facilities. Each caller was interested in information and what to expect
in the way of local terrorist attack.
Their questions were addressed through the media in a
press conference with public officials including the Memphis
Mayor, Shelby county Mayor, the Police Director, the Shelby
County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy, Fire Director and other
emergency service personnel. These officials made an
evaluation of the immediate threat to the city based on
information from the F.B.I., and national and local television
news. This
resulted in an agreement that our response could be reduced.
At that time, jointly, in an organized setting, this
team of city officials released information to the public.
It was timely, informative and reassuring.
This was a unique experience in reality.
Elected and appointed public officials guided these
many agencies into a team of the various Emergency Services
Functions who took the challenge of the day and made joint
decisions. The
hiring of an Emergency Operations Director and Staff, whose
goal was to organize, train and encourage teamwork among
Memphis and Shelby Counties Emergency Services, served as a
multiplier of the services previously available.
We have experienced a severe blow to our budget as a result of
September 11 and our anthrax responses.
Sustained actions resulting from hoaxes, threats and
actual attacks are devastating to local budgets as you know,
draining dollars by eating overtime. There is little that can
be held in the hand following unbudgeted responses.
Since the events and continuous warnings of future
threats, many cities are looking at budget shortfalls.
Following the New York attack, we have experienced the
uncertainty and fear of bio-terror.
There have been several warnings of additional attacks.
As we further assess our ability to deal with attacks
of this type, it is necessary to evaluate what is needed in
order to defend ourselves against attack, to respond to and
reduce the damage and loss of life and to fully recover.
In reviewing the needs of the city, I must mention the Port of
Memphis, an integral part of the Memphis economy.
Memphis is known as the America’s Distribution
Center. I think
this notoriety, comes from it’s association with Fed-Ex,
United Parcel Service and other air carriers.
However, the marine port facilities of Memphis
metropolitan area is one in only three cities served by 5
class one railroad carriers serving 48 contiguous states, 2
barge fleeting services and a multitude of barge and truck
transport services. International shipments come through the Port of New Orleans
and are filtered to the other states through Memphis, the
worlds’ largest cargo airport hub.
There are 15 other airlines including U.P.S. conducting
operations through this airport.
Memphis has a large oil refinery operated by
William’s Energy with access to McKellar Lake.
Memphis has several chemical plants each producing
potentially hazardous chemicals. The Tennessee Valley
Authority steam plant also has access to McKellar Lake.
The Port of Memphis
is the fourth busiest inland port in the country.
The port facility has immediate access to interstate 40
and 55 and is located less than 15 minutes from the Memphis
International Airport. The
Port of Memphis also provides a unique industrial area for the
convergence of transportation services located near the
Memphis downtown business district.
This transportation hub has been of interest to organized
crime due to the large quantity of manufactured goods.
The Memphis Police, the Shelby County Sheriff’s
Office, the local F.B.I., the United States Customs Service,
and the National Insurance Crime Bureau was organized through
a memorandum of understanding, updated yearly, into the
Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi Auto Cargo Theft Task Force.
This is a multi-agency investigative law enforcement
unit targeting organized vehicle theft, including heavy
equipment and farm and construction machinery, and associated
criminal activity and thefts from interstate cargo shipments.
These are the
reasons Memphis is a potential terrorist target.
The following are suggested measures, which should be
considered in the interest of preventing terrorist attacks.
Attacks which would severely interrupt interstate
commerce for years if successful, seriously crippling the
nation.
Use a multi-agency approach to the investigation of suspected
terrorists, and develop the availability of an electronic
clearing house for all information gathered nationally and
internationally on suspected terrorists.
Assign fully armed U.S. Coast Guard personnel to 24 hour
operations providing visible patrols on the Mississippi River,
Wolf River, McKellar Lake, Tennessee Chute and Frank Pidgeon
Industrial Park.
Support a
national or international truck driver licensing program for
drivers entering and exiting the U.S. from Canada and Mexico,
and for crossing major infrastructures, bridges, tunnels.
Also, support technology capable of identifying drivers
and driver history by fingerprint, photos and newer iris scan
technology.
Support smart card technology for trucks and loads, capable of
immediately identifying driver, cargo, origination point,
destinations and route
plans.
Organize a U.S. Coast Guard Inspection Boarding Team to meet
and board vessels above and below the Mississippi River
bridges to identify operators and crew and to monitor
approaches to sensitive infrastructure such as bridges,
industrial complexes and production facilities with river
access.
Assign U.S. Army or Army Reserve troops to provide 24 hour
security/surveillance to the more critical targets, where
attacks would cause severe repercussions for America.
Provide security gates and barricades limiting access to
Presidents Island, refineries and chemical plants from
vehicles without the proper identification and authorization.
Establish privately owned police agencies like the railroad
police and Fed-Ex security police for the protection of
businesses which produce or manage critical materials.
Establish a Homeland Security Block grant to meet such needs
as police and fire overtime, training, communication and
rescue equipment and for security measures to protect
airports, waterways, utilities, public transit and other
public infrastructure.
Thank you once again for inviting me to testify today.
I will be happy to work with the committee in the
future and at the appropriate time, I will be happy to answer
any questions. |