By April W. Klimley
The Dec. 2 mass shooting at a county facility in San Bernardino, Calif., raised wide concern about domestic terrorism and prompted Palm Beach County commissioners to examine the preparedness of the county’s own facilities.
“It was a county employee who attacked his fellow employees (in California),” said Steven Abrams, the county commissioner who initiated the request. “So we want to go over the security we have at the county facilities and see how there can be any improvement.”
On Dec. 7 Abrams asked County Administrator Verdenia Baker to report back to commissioners on county security readiness and whether any improvements were needed, such as training or new equipment.
Although some of these reports were ready by the Dec. 15 meeting, there wasn’t time to address this issue adequately at this year-end meeting. Instead, the reports are expected to be presented to commissioners on Jan. 26.
Nonetheless, Abrams also commented that he believes the county is very well-prepared for mass violence incidents. “If nothing else because we have experienced it here in the anthrax attack and some of the 9/11 terrorists who were living in the area,” he explained. Abrams was mayor of Boca Raton at the time of the 9/11 attacks.
Soon after 9/11, anti-terrorism activities were stepped up at virtually all security agencies in Florida and local municipalities. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement set up a Terrorist Hotline (1-585-FLA-SAFE, or 1-855-352-7233), and the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office inaugurated a Homeland Security Bureau, now headed by Maj. Robert L. Allen, along with a number of specific anti-terrorism programs such as C-PAT (Community Partners Against Terrorism) and B-PAT (Business Partners Against Terrorism).
Since that time, procedures in many police departments have evolved to deal with new conditions. These changes are the result of the rapid rise in the number of domestic mass shootings in the U.S. over the past decade, not just international terrorism.
Boca Raton Police Chief Daniel Alexander explained that there are two major changes in how police departments such as his handle mass shooter incidents today. First, officers are instructed not to wait outside for backup when an incident occurs. Instead, they are trained to enter and confront and contain the shooters right from the start. Second, fire-rescue is brought in much sooner to be ready to participate more quickly.
Local police departments also learn about most incidents faster than they did 15 years ago, because communication among agencies has improved dramatically.
Municipalities also have a liaison officer with Homeland Security, as well as ongoing ties with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Representatives from all municipalities meet at least monthly, according to Alexander, and many top officers in the county such as Alexander and Delray Beach Police Chief Jeffrey S. Goldman are graduates of the FBI National Academy.
Some law enforcement units in the county engage in anti-terrorism practice drills. Almost all agencies and municipalities also prepare through “table top exercises,” where command staff discuss and examine a wide array of potential scenarios and responses.
You should be prepared, too
Despite this preparation, civilians are still considered the first line of defense against terrorist incidents. Residents and visitors “have to be our eyes and ears,” said Alexander.
Ocean Ridge Police Chief Hal Hutchins agreed. He said he is glad to see the catch phrase “See Something, Say Something” being dusted off again. This message was widely used after 9/11 to urge people to stay alert to what was going on around them and report unusual activity.
It paid off when a backpack was discovered near a Delray Beach military recruitment site last June. Traffic was blocked off in the area until it was determined that the backpack did not contain anything dangerous.
Civilians should also be responsible for knowing what to do if they find themselves in the center of a shooter situation. Alexander recommends following the standard formula — “Run, Hide, Fight.” The Boca Raton Police Department has a number of videos up on its YouTube site that provide information on how to deal with dangerous security situations (www.youtube.com/bocapolice).
Although no agency can be prepared for every contingency, it is clear that a great deal of time, energy, and expense has been put into detection and preparation to deal with mass shooter incidents in Palm Beach County. This has created confidence within the law enforcement community.
As Alexander notes, “I’ve served in a number of different agencies, and I believe that Palm Beach County is one of the best prepared counties in the state.”
Security tips
‘See Something, Say Something.’
If you see suspicious activity, call either 911 or the terrorism hotline of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement—1-855-FLA-SAFE (1-855-352-7233)—or both. Hotline calls may be made anonymously.
If you find yourself in an active shooter situation, the formula is:
1. Run. Get away from the scene as quickly as possible, if you can.
2. Hide. Take yourself as far from the shooter or attackers as possible, hide and remain hidden until the incident is over.
3. Fight. Organize in a group to fight your way out.
— Information provided by Commissioner Steven Abrams and Boca Raton Police Chief Dan Alexander
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