FBI puts local law enforcement agencies on high alert

A call by the FBI Sunday for law enforcement agencies in the U.S. to move to the highest level of alert didn't exactly send local and state police agencies into crisis mode. Some top commanders took the Columbus Day holiday off.

"I would bet most departments don't have a highest level of alert," said Cape Girardeau Police Chief Steve Strong, who was on duty. But Strong said his department immediately increased patrols after last month's terrorist attacks on America.

"We've been on a higher level of alert since Sept. 11," he said.

Cape Girardeau officers have been instructed to be more alert for anything out of the ordinary, Strong said. A truck parked under the Mississippi River Bridge draws immediate attention, for example.

"We are making stops and checking on things that we normally didn't check as frequently," he said.

The highest level of alert for the Missouri State Highway Patrol just means officers must let headquarters know where they are or where they can be reached when not on duty, said Todd Robitsch, a dispatcher at the Troop E headquarters in Poplar Bluff, Mo. A dispatcher at the patrol general headquarters in Jefferson City said Monday no commanders were available to comment because of the Columbus Day holiday.

In Jackson, Mo., where the city operates its own water and utility systems, security has been tightened citywide since the attacks.

"We have stepped up patrols by police and we are keeping a closer eye on public facilities," said city administrator Jim Roach. "Most of our satellite facilities are less accessible by the general public and will probably remain so, potentially indefinitely."

Mayor Paul Sander said some of the security changes already were in the works before the terrorist attacks. But after Sept. 11, the city began locking the gates to its power plant and water distribution plant 24 hours a day. The plants are manned 24 hours a day.

Fire Chief Brad Golden, the city's emergency operations officer, organized a two-day workshop last summer in which the Department of Justice trained officials throughout the county and administrators of large buildings in how to improve security. Chillingly, the cover of the workbook was a picture of the New York City skyline with a target on the twin towers of the World Trade Center.

Many of the low-cost security improvements advocated by the Department of Justice have been implemented, Roach said.

Golden said the city is beefing up its disaster plan to include a domestic terrorism annex. Most of the improvements are "common sense stuff," he said, such as making sure brush is trimmed away from security fences and making firefighters more aware of their surroundings at all times on fire calls.

Bio-chemical dangers

The danger of bio-chemical terrorism has Cape Girardeau police paying extra attention to Cape Girardeau's privately run water treatment plant. Police have been meeting with Kevin Priester, who manages the plant.

The plant has added employees and has installed electronic surveillance equipment since the attacks. "We took seriously the initial warning by the FBI," Priester said. "In light of the events of Sept. 11, it was common sense. If people are willing to go to that extent to affect our citizens, I don't think they'll stop at anything."

The plant has increased its monitoring of water quality, as well. "Most chemicals or biological agents wouldn't specifically be identified, but they would have an effect on water quality that would be detectable," he said.

His primary focus is prevention of the problem, which means working closely with police.

Doug Groesbeck, who manages AmerenUE in Southeast Missouri, said the utility's security has not increased appreciably in the region since the terrorist attacks. That is because AmerenUE has no generating facilities in Southeast Missouri.

"The targets would be where power is generated," he said.

Strong, a 25-year veteran of the department, said a similar higher alert status was imposed after the April 19, 1995, terrorist bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City, Okla.

"We're more careful now about all potential targets," he said. "But this is probably the most we've been since I have been here."

sblackwell@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182