The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
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the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Hamilton NJ,with residents and visitors converging on the state’s seaside resort towns following the unofficial start of summer, the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness is reminding the public to remain vigilant as a component of its annual “Secure the Shore” campaign launch.
file photo by Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness and its cybersecurity division, the New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell, are cautioning the public to stay alert for signs of physical and cyber threats targeting individuals, organizations and businesses across the state during the upcoming holiday season.
The United States designated Iran a “State Sponsor of Terrorism” in 1984 and since then, Iran has actively engaged in or directed an array of violent and deadly acts against the United States and its citizens globally. The United States designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a Foreign Terrorist Organization on April 15, 2019 for its direct involvement in terrorist plotting.
Continue reading National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin
file photo by ArtChick
June 1,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Trenton NJ, With the unofficial start of summer less than a week away, the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (NJOHSP) has announced a new summer initiative designed to keep New Jersey’s residents safe this season.
NJOHSP’s “Secure the Shore” Initiative is a specialized subsection of the State’s larger, year-round “See Something, Say Something” campaign that encourages the reporting of suspicious activity. Through suspicious activity awareness, reporting, and information-sharing, critical infrastructure owners and operators, law enforcement, and the public at-large prove invaluable to initiating investigations and preventing potential attacks.
“After the Seaside Park bombing, it was tips from New Jersey residents that led to the arrest of the bomber, Ahmad Khan Rahimi,” said NJOHSP Director Jared Maples. “Engendering this level of suspicious activity and reporting awareness is paramount to preventing future attacks and developing strategic plans for both short- and long-term solutions to emerging and evolving homeland security concerns.”
The “Secure the Shore” Initiative will focus on Monmouth, Ocean, Atlantic, and Cape May counties, and municipalities within these counties along the coast, with an emphasis on towns that attract mass gatherings. In coordination with local, county, state, and federal law enforcement, NJOHSP has deployed a security strategy to prepare shore communities of the emerging threat to public venues with limited security and free movement.
NJOHSP investigators will deploy to the shore towns and various special events throughout the summer. NJOHSP will conduct visits to the boardwalks and businesses, and will work with local, state, county, and federal partners to aggressively investigate all leads in a timely manner. NJOHSP, with the help of law enforcement partners, will also conduct trainings for lifeguards and beach patrol personnel on how to identify and report suspicious activity.
The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness encourages all residents to remain vigilant while enjoying themselves this summer. If you “See Something, Say Something,” by calling 1-866-4-SAFE-NJ or emailing tips@njohsp.gov.
February 19,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Fox News host Greg Gutfeld made some concrete suggestions as to stemming the tide of school shootings.
Greg Gutfeld Show (@GregGutfeldShow) February 18, 2018
His points include:
Harden soft targets with security and training. Gutfeld notes that this is already being done by a wide swatch of business, entertainment, and political figures, plus many companies and organizations.
If you see something, say something, should be followed with do something. “The punk had a zillion red flags. The FBI were tipped off and blew it.” Gutfeld suggests a new motto: See something, say something, do something. Gutfeld explains that part of the problem is that neither of the two main sides in the gun debate trusts the other. “Common-sense gun control” is mostly a euphemism for taking away or harshly limiting gun rights, he suggests, while also implying that gun-rights maximalists are willing to let deranged “creeps” to get weapons as the cost of maintaining their own freedoms. “We need a database” to keep people such as Florida school shooter Nikolaus Cruz from getting guns, says Gutfeld. But as important, he says we need to “tag” people such as Cruz the minute they start acting off. Violation of the database would result in a felony conviction.
Address mental illness seriously. “Bring back psychiatric hospitals,” says Gutfeld, who notes that of course they still exist but that they “house less than one-tenth of the people they did back in the ’50s.”
Re-examine the media’s role. “If you look at [mass-shooting] killers, you’ll find an interest in those who came before them.” Gutfeld argues that the media should not report the names of mass shooters or show their pictures as a way of tamping down such incidents. “We advertise infamy,” which he says has an impact.
If You See Something, Say Something
December 26,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
WASHINGTON DC, the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation released a public service announcement urging the public to remain vigilant during the holidays:
“As you travel, shop, and gather together to celebrate the holiday season, we ask you to stay alert. While we are not aware of any specific, credible threats at this time, the recent attempted attack in New York is a reminder that we must remain vigilant.
“You play a critical role in keeping our nation and our neighborhoods safe. So if you see something suspicious, or notice behavior that doesn’t seem quite right, say something. Contact local law enforcement. Tell them who and what you saw, where and when you saw it, and why it seemed suspicious.
“Hopefully, it’s nothing. But maybe, it could save your life. Help us make the holidays safer. If you see something, say something.”
Watch the PSA featuring Christopher Krebs, the Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Under Secretary for DHS’s National Protection and Programs Directorate; Nikki Floris, Deputy Assistant Director of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division; and David Glawe, the DHS Counterterrorism Coordinator.
August 18,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ,Members of the Bergen County Rapid Deployment Team fanned out Thursday to bus and train stations across the county on a “See something, say something” campaign.