The Department of Homeland Security Partners With State and Locals to Protect Democratic National Convention

Homeland Security Allocating Numerous Department Resources to Ensure Strengthened Security for National Special Security Event

On May 27, 2003, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that the Democratic National Convention will be designated a National Special Security Event (NSSE) establishing the U.S. Secret Service, now part of the Department of Homeland Security, as the lead federal agency in charge of the design and implementation of the operational security plan.  Over the course of the past year, numerous federal, state and local agencies have worked together to put in place an unprecedented level of security for the political convention.  Working in partnership with state and local organizations, the Department of Homeland Security has invested substantial resources and numerous personnel to ensure a safe and secure event for the Boston community and all delegates attending the convention.

United States Secret Service (USSS)

• The U.S. Secret Service conducted comprehensive security assessments of all primary convention venues as well as hotels, hospitals, airports and other sites related to the convention.

• U.S. Secret Service coordinated multiple interagency training exercises and tested operational security plans to verify command and control protocols and procedures.

• For security reasons, specific methods of protection and preparation are not revealed; however, there is a tremendous amount of advance planning and coordination in the areas of venue, protection, airspace security, communication, emergency equipment, credentialing and training. Secret Service began developing the security plan for the Democratic National Convention in June 2003.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

• ICE Federal Protective Service (FPS) will deploy approximately 200 personnel to the Democratic National Convention to ensure public safety and continuity of operations at federal facilities within the Boston area.  This deployment will also include Explosive Detector Dog teams, WMD/HAZMAT technicians, intelligence and undercover agents, uniformed officers, bicycle and motorcycle officers, and emergency response teams.

• ICE FPS will provide two Mobile Command Vehicles (MCV) to serve as highly advanced communication centers for multiple law enforcement agencies. Each MCV is equipped with the capacity to operate as primary or backup radio base stations for all levels of law enforcement, monitor video cameras from U.S. government facilities, retrieve different types of closed circuit video signals and receive real-time aircraft video feeds.

• ICE Office of Investigations will deploy a large number of Special Agents to the Democratic National Convention to support different security units assisting with convention activities and operations.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

• FEMA is the lead agency responsible for consequence management for all National Special Security Events and will be in charge of providing emergency management coordination and any needed response and recovery assets.

• FEMA will support state and local emergency management services and first responder units by pre-deploying more than 400 emergency personnel to serve with Emergency Response Teams, Disaster Medical Assistance Teams, a Mobile Emergency Response Unit and an Urban Search and Rescue Task Force.

• FEMA's Regional Operations Center will function 24 hours each day and is equipped and prepared to support the Massachusetts and Boston Emergency Management Agencies as well as the Federal Response Plan.

U.S. Coast Guard

• As the primary federal maritime law enforcement agency, Coast Guard personnel will provide comprehensive waterside coverage on and over the water for the Democratic National Convention coordinating closely with state, local and other federal maritime law enforcement assets.

• Numerous Coast Guard units and personnel will be involved in this event including boat crews, law enforcement boarding teams, pilots and aircrew, support personnel and a wide variety of Coast Guard assets.

• Coast Guard helicopters will assist in security zone surveillance and enforcement as well as air interdiction efforts.

• The Coast Guard's Captain of the Port has worked closely with commercial shipping interests and other waterway users to minimize the effects of security zone enforcement on recreational boating, commercial fishing and the free flow of commerce into and out of the Port of Boston.

• The U.S. Coast Guard will establish a Waterside Security Unified Command Center in Boston to manage waterside security operations.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

• Customs and Border Protection will provide inspectors to assist with overall security personnel as well as operate a mobile x-ray unit to examine suspicious packages entering a Convention facility.

• Customs and Border Protection will also provide x-ray equipment to scan commercial vehicles and delivery trucks such as food service providers as they enter the Democratic National Convention site.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

• TSA conducted security and vulnerability assessments at affected commercial, general aviation and private airports as well as additional actions to enhance aviation security near Democratic National Convention sites.

• TSA will deploy approximately 100 personnel to sites at or near the Democratic National Convention to ensure security and communication capability between various modes of transportation.

DHS's Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection (IAIP)

• During the Democratic National Convention, the Department's Homeland Security Operations Center (HSOC) will provide timely sharing of any threat information, intelligence, situational awareness and operational information pertinent to the security of the event through the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN).  HSIN provides real-time connectivity and information sharing among all DHS components and State and Local partners.

• IAIP conducted several training courses in the Boston area to provide local law enforcement officials with additional skills and protective measures.  Courses included Terrorism Awareness and Prevention Training for liquefied natural gas facilities and rail transit systems, and Soft Target Awareness Training for owners, operators, and senior staff members of stadiums and arenas, places of worship, shopping malls, hotels and other large buildings.

• IAIP is working with the state of Massachusetts Office of Public Safety to distribute radiation detection pagers to state and local law enforcement with operational responsibilities for the Convention. Training will be provided to law enforcement members by Infrastructure Protection staff preceding the event in coordination with the state homeland security adviser's office.

DHS Science and Technology (S&T)

• In coordination with the U.S. Secret Service, S&T is deploying air monitoring equipment to detect airborne biological pathogens during the duration of the Democratic National Convention.

Federal, State and Local

Additional federal, state and local agencies and departments are dedicating security resources to the Democratic National Convention including:

                              Amtrack Police
                              Boston Fire Department
                              Boston Emergency Management Agency
                              Boston Emergency Medical Support
                              Boston Police Department
                              Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms
                              City of Cambridge Fire Department
                              City of Cambridge Police Department
                              Department of Health and Human Services
                              Department of Defense
                              Department of Energy
                              Environmental Protection Agency
                              Federal Aviation Administration
                              Federal Bureau of Investigation
                              Federal Communications Commission
                              Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
                              Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency
                              Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety
                              Massachusetts National Guard
                              Massachusetts State Police
                              Massachusetts Turnpike Authority
                              Nuclear Regulatory Commission
                              U.S. Attorney’s Office
                              U.S. Capitol Police
                              U.S. Coast Guard
                              U.S. Food and Drug Administration
                              U.S. Marshall Service
                              U.S. Park Police
                              U.S. Postal Police
                              U.S. Secret Service