Freeholders, congressman discuss county security

Citing Ocean County's proximity to a number of potential terror targets and the interest to reaffirm vigilance in light of the recent Fort Dix terrorist plot, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and Ocean County freeholders John P. Kelly and James F. Lacey met on May 22 with the head of the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) to enhance coordination with the agency's anti-terror program headquartered in Newark.

The trio also met with Wayne Arny, U.S. Navy deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for installations and environ-ment, to discuss ways in which the local community and Navy Lakehurst can work together to ensure the security at both the base and the community, according to a press release.

"The recent Fort Dix plot shows that locations in New Jersey remain high on the list of potential terror targets. With heavy tourism traffic visiting the Jersey shore, and given that Ocean County is home to Navy Lakehurst, a key part of the Joint Base New Jersey, it makes perfect sense for Ocean County leaders to work to enhance and strengthen their partnership with the FBI's Joint Terror-ism Task Force in our state," Smith said.

Smith, Kelly and Lacey met with Ed Dickson, FBI section chief for the National Joint Terrorism Task Force in Smith's Washington, D.C., office to discuss ways that Ocean County and the federal government can improve coordination - including a stronger partnership with the JTTF in Newark.

"This is an investment we need to make," said Kelly. "Ocean County is willing to be a partner."

The freeholders noted that Ocean County administrators work closely with the military bases in the area and in particular Navy Lakehurst.

"Security needs to remain a priority for all of us and is essential in keeping our residents safe," Lacey said.

According to the press release, the JTTF program combines federal and local law enforcement resources to investigate and prevent terrorist attacks. The program's mission is twofold, both reactive and proactive in so much as they respond to and investigate terrorist attacks and terrorist-related criminal activity, as well as investigate terrorist groups, both international and home-grown, for the purpose of identifying, preventing and prosecuting their criminal activity.

Smith said, "We will be hosting a follow-up meeting in New Jersey to further our discussion on ways we can enhance Ocean County's homeland security coordination with federal officials."

Smith and the Ocean County delegation also proposed the idea of working with the JTTF in Newark to organize a training seminar for local law enforcement officials. The seminar would focus on best practices for investigating potential terror threats, intra-agency communications and the roles each organization plays in preparing for and responding to an emergency.

"Our local law enforcement is our first line of defense. Terrorists are constantly looking for new vulnerabilities to exploit so we must constantly re-evaluate our homeland security needs to better protect our communities. Giving local law enforcement the ability to better coordinate efforts with federal officials - which in the case of Ocean County extends beyond federal law enforcement to the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy - will greatly enhance Ocean County's ability to prevent a terror attack in our communities," Smith said.