Napolitano & TSA Admin Announce Expansion of the "If You See Something, Say Something Campaign"

[The Straight Story]

Secretary Napolitano and TSA Administrator John Pistole Announce Expansion of the "If You See Something, Say Something Campaign"

Release Date: November 15, 2010

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010

WASHINGTON—Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator John Pistole today announced the expansion of the nationwide "If You See Something, Say Something" campaign in the National Capital Region and to the nation's hotel and lodging industry—raising public awareness and strengthening security in America's tourism and travel industry in anticipation of the busy holiday travel season.

The "If You See Something, Say Something" campaign—originally implemented by New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority and funded, in part, by $13 million from DHS' Transit Security Grant Program—is a simple and effective program to engage the public and key frontline employees to identify and report indicators of terrorism, crime and other threats to the proper transportation and law enforcement authorities.

"As Americans head into the busy holiday travel season, it is important to remember that every individual has a role to play in keeping our country safe and secure," said Secretary Napolitano. "The ‘If You See Something, Say Something' campaign encourages travelers and those who work in the hotel industry to identify and report indicators of terrorism, crime and other threats to the proper law enforcement authorities."

Secretary Napolitano and Administrator Pistole joined Metropolitan Police Chief Cathy Lanier, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police Chief Stephen Holl and Metro Transit Police Department Police Chief Michael Taborn in announcing the launch of "If You See Something, Say Something" advertisements in DC-area airports, public transit, movie theaters, gas stations and on local radio stations.

"The partnerships we build in communities and with travelers are critical to supporting our security mission," said TSA Administrator Pistole. "We saw with the failed Times Square attack the impact alert travelers can have and we ask for the public's continued partnership to help keep our skies safe."

Recognizing the critical role of the hospitality industry in protecting travelers, Secretary Napolitano also highlighted DHS' new "If You See Something, Say Something" partnership with the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA)—announced by Deputy Secretary Jane Holl Lute in New York City on Saturday.

With the assistance of AH&LA, DHS offered threat briefings to industry stakeholders, created a web-based training tool for employees, and has created public education materials to help the hotel industry manage security at their facilities and encourage hotel employees to identify and report suspicious activities and threats. These materials are available at www.dhs.gov/cfsector.

Since the beginning of the summer, DHS has worked with state and local officials to leverage best practices from the law enforcement community while engaging the public in identifying and reporting suspicious activity through the national Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) initiative—an administration effort to train state and local law enforcement to recognize behaviors and indicators related to specific threats and terrorism-related crime—and the expansion of "If You See Something, Say Something" to communities throughout the country, launching new partnerships with organizations including AH&LA, Amtrak, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), the general aviation industry and fusion centers.

In the coming months, the Department will continue to expand the "If You See Something, Say Something" campaign nationally with public education materials and outreach tools designed to engage America's businesses, communities, and citizens to remain vigilant and play an active role in keeping the county safe.

For more information, visit www.dhs.gov.

http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1289842248570.shtm

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. This, unlike the pat downs and machines,

Is good practice as long as you train people. We've never done that either.

The most simple thing, a package left behind, mostly by accident... Are not treated seriously by most citizens.

[MadHound]

2. Become a snitch for the TSA,

This is going to work real well, not.

Face it folks, Osama has won, we've lost many of our civil liberties and they continue to disappear at an alarming rate.

[rawtribe]

3. If I see a TSA agent

molest a child can I say something?

[Bill McBlueState]

9. that's what I was wondering n/t

[csziggy]

13. That was my first thought - does it mean reporting TSA abuses?

Including inappropriate fondling or disrespectful behavior.

[Pholus]

16. No. Fondling people is not terrorism. DHS doesn't want to hear about it.

Enjoy your flight, citizen.

[csziggy]

17. Nope, no flights in my future - not until this changes

Even twenty years ago I found my last flight unpleasant due to airplane overcrowding. These days, seat space is smaller and add in the TSA crap and flying becomes completely unthinkable.

Last night I looked up freighter travel - a round trip to Europe takes 35 days and costs about $4200. If I want to got overseas, I will probably just add that extra time and enjoy the trip! Few passengers, none of the silliness of cruise lines, a quiet voyage sounds very appealing. But since it involves lots of stairs (they warn about this in their FAQs), I will have to wait until after my knee replacements.

[Pholus]

21. That actually sounds pretty cool!

[csziggy]

22. It certainly sounds more relaxing than flying these days!

I'd do it soon, but my knees won't handle stairs and every freighter site that talks about passenger accomodations warns about stairs. Yes, they usually have elevators, but they warn that sometimes the elevators are not accessible. I like the idea of a sea voyage without all the crap that regular cruises tack on. I don't want fancy meals, dressing up, lounge lizard type shows, gambling or the typical touristy stuff.

A blog about a round the world freighter trip is at http://carleli.livejournal.com/981.html That blog gives a really good idea of the actual experience.

I could do the quiet times, reading (maybe with a ebook of some kind), needlework, a collection of DVDs, and just kicking back. I'd miss wildlife, my cat & horses, and the farm, but maybe I would time it after the current cat passes from old age and before we get any more. I would have to find someone to take care of the farm & horses, but I have to anyway, the way my health has been.

Hubby has a few years yet before retirement, and I plan to get my knees replaced before then. I'm trying to convince him to take at least one cross country train trip and one freighter cruise once I can get around better and before we're too old to enjoy the trips. I'd rather do the sea voyage before the train trip - hubby loves to drive and as long as he is capable, I'd just as soon let him. If my sister is still spending half the year in England with her new hubby, I could go visit her!

[gmoney]

4. Loose lips sink ships

It's 1942 all over again...

[bluedigger]

5. Cool!

A poster contest!:9

[avaistheone1]

15. First poster for submission

[Matariki]

6. "Let each one stand at his front door. Look and listen. Watch for a man running through the streets"

[hobbit709]

7. Like the guy with the tattoo on his hands?

I somehow don't think that someone with "Atom Bomb" on his fingers is a terrorist.

What you will see, if history is any judge, is people turning in someone because of real or imagined grudges.

[Sinistrous]

8. You nailed it !

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. And that is because we've never told people

WHAT to look for. Hence the joke.

[MadHound]

11. Funny, it was over the issue of "national security" that the Nazi's established their police state,

And snitch society. Sad to see us going down the same path.

[AlabamaLibrul]

12. If you see someone copping a feel on airline passengers, say something. Oh, wait... n/t

[avaistheone1]

14. This sounds like a bunch of highly paid beauracrats looking for

something to do which will waste time and money and not produce anything of importance except spread paranoia and hate.

What ever happened to all the Color Codes? (Bwah ha ha ha ha!)





F- Napolitano. She has gone from bad to worse.

[EnlightenedOne]

18. like when eye witnesses saw a nicely dressed

business man escorting and helping the underwear bomber? Stuff like that?

[gkhouston]

19. Sorry, this isn't going to keep us from talking about their *other* campaign...

"If you feel something, squeal something".

[Incitatus]

20. Yeah, I heard that guy who stole my parking spot say something about drugs on the phone.

:patriot:

[AsahinaKimi]

23. So when does it start when

they offer rewards for reporting suspicious behavior? Poor people reporting their neighbors, just to get cash.. This reeks of 1939, when jack booted soldiers started patrolling the streets.. Whats next Janet?