Maryland Kicks off new Homeland Security Initiative

The times we live in can be precarious from a national
security standpoint. Anglers, hunters, and others who find
themselves in and around Maryland waters are being asked to be on
the lookout for suspicious activity, and report it. Not a bad idea
for outdoor lovers to take up across the country… 

The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP), U.S. Coast Guard
(USCG), and partners have kicked off the See Something, Say
Something campaign, that puts citizens in boats in an important
position.

See Something, Say Something focuses on training citizens to
recognize potential threats in Maryland waterways and their role in
reporting suspicious activity. After participating in the program,
citizens take information back to their maritime related jobs and
educate their colleagues what to report and how.

NRP also unveiled a new Public Service Announcement to educate the
public on the economic impact of Maryland’s maritime activities and
how to report suspicious activity. The PSA will air on networks
throughout the state.

Maritime Domain Awareness is about generating good citizen tips,
which serve as the cornerstone of successful counterterrorist and
maritime law enforcement. Using the private sector’s ability to
“see something” will greatly increase and strengthen the
relationship between State and private port partners. It will also
educate private partners on maritime security issues, allowing them
to become a greater asset to maritime law enforcement
agencies.

People who “SEE SOMETHING” suspicious on or around Maryland’s
waterways should “SAY SOMETHING” and report this activity to
800-628-9944. Calls will be received at the NRP’s Communication
Center and will be logged, evaluated and then investigated. These
calls may elicit a response from NRP, or other allied local, state
and Federal agencies. The information will be sent to Maryland
Coordination and Analysis Center, the focal point for federal,
state, local, and private sector partners in the collection,
analysis and dissemination of criminal and homeland security
information.