Anti-terrorism drill to take place Monday and Tuesday

If you’re near the Port of Palm Beach on Monday or Tuesday, be prepared to see a massive police presence at four locations as specialty security teams stage a drill to test their response to a terrorist attack.

The drill, called Operation Guardian, will include simulated active shooter attacks, hostage-taking onboard a freighter, bus and on two floors of a building, and a beach assault at Peanut Island Park. Teams, such as SWAT, bomb squad, field force and forensics, also will face violent protester activities.

The exercise is coordinated by the Southeast Regional Domestic Security Task Force, and involves more than 300 participants and specialty teams from all three counties, MiamiDade, Broward and Palm Beach, according to a news release.

The teams are from the Broward and Palm Beach counties sheriff’s offices, Miami-Dade Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Riviera Beach and West Palm Beach police departments. On Tuesday, Operation Guardian continues with the region’s forensics teams and bomb squad technicians participating in additional scenarios at the port.

Operation Guardian tests the capability of these teams and “furthers the ability of the regional teams to implement training programs and improve all-hazards response capabilities to prevent, protect, respond and recover from such events” like violent protests or terrorist attacks.